'!(ffffill{ 


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BR  516  ,M3  1916 
Macfarland,  Charles  S. 
The  churches  of  the  Federal 
council 


The  Churches  of  the  Federal  Council 


BOOKS  BY 

Charles  S.  Macfarland 


The  Spirit  Christlike. 

The  Infinite  Affection. 

Jesus  aiid  the  Prophets. 

Spiritual   Culture   and  Social 
Service. 

Christian  Service  and  the  Modern 
World. 


Books  Edited  and  in  Part  Written  by  the  Author 

The    Christia7i   Ministry   and  the 

Social  Order. 
Christiajt  Unity  at  Wo7^k. 

The    Churches   of  the   Federal 
Council. 


The  Churches  of  the 
Federal  Council 


Their  History,  Organization  and  Distinct- 
ive Characteristics  and  a  Statement  of 
the  Development  of  the  Federal  Council 

EDITED  BY  »  OHTlXl^lfi 

CHARLES  S.  MACFARLAND 

General  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America 


New  York        Chicago        Toronto 

Fleming    H.    Revell    Company 

London      and      Edinburgh 


Copyright,  1916,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  17  North  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:      100    Princes    Street 


Foreword 

THIS  volume  has  been  prepared  in  response  to  a  large 
and  increasing  demand  for  such  information  as  it 
contains  in  brief  and  simple  form.  The  federation 
of  thirty  Christian  denominations  naturally  raises  the  inquiry 
as  to  their  points  of  likeness  and  diversity. 

Such  a  volume  necessitated  composite  authorship,  because 
each  denomination  should  be  portrayed  by  one  of  its  own  rep- 
resentatives, with  freedom  of  expression  in  setting  forth  the 
values  of  each. 

It  also  appears  that  in  each  of  the  statements  contained 
herein  certain  distinct  characteristics  are  set  forth  which,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  are  found  to  be  more  or  less  common  to  other 
denominations.  The  prevailing  sense  in  all  is  that  of  a  unity 
far  greater  than  the  diversity,  and  thus  we  find  in  these  state- 
ments themselves  an  exhibit  of  the  need  and  practicability  of 
the  federation  of  these  bodies  for  the  multitude  of  tasks  which 
can  be  done  better  by  cooperation  than  in  separation. 

Each  chapter,  again,  sets  forth,  as  a  more  or  less  distinct 
trait  of  the  denomination  described,  the  desire  to  realize  the 
Kingdom  of  God  rather  than  to  build  up  a  denomination,  and 
while  each  emphasizes  the  peculiar  contributions  of  the  de- 
nomination described,  these  thirty  sketches  constitute  a  more  or 
less  sustained  argument  for  cooperation.  One  can  see  clearly 
the  possible  adjustment  of  autonomy  and  corporate  action,  in- 
dividuality and  social  solidarity,  liberty  and  social  adaptation. 

These  bodies  have  all  federated  fully  and  officially  in  the 
Federal  Council,  with  the  exception  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  in  which  there  still  obtains  some  difference  of  opinion 
relative  to  Christian  federation,  which  it  is  believed  does  not 

5 


6  FOEEWOED 

indicate  an  essential  difference  of  general  view  regarding  the 
spirit  of  fraternity  and  fellowship.  At  the  last  General  Con- 
vention of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  this  division  of 
view-point  was  indicated  by  the  fact  that  the  House  of  Deputies 
voted  by  a  large  majority  for  full  relationship  with  the  Federal 
Council,  on  which  action,  however,  the  House  of  Bishops  was 
divided  or  doubtful,  and  in  which  it  failed  to  concur.  The 
final  action  of  the  General  Convention  was  as  follows  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  General  Convention  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church  hereby  records  its  gratitude  to 
Almighty  God  for  the  growing  sympathy  and  closer  re- 
lations between  bodies  of  Christians,  as  evidenced  by 
the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  Amer- 
ica ;  but  the  strong  conviction  of  this  Church  is  that  the 
ideal  of  our  Lord  for  His  people  is  organized  unity  in 
one  body ;  realizing,  however,  the  desirability  of  Chris- 
tian cooperation,  where  practicable,  without  the  sacri- 
fice of  principle,  this  Convention  expresses  the  opinion 
that  the  Commissions  on  Christian  Unity  and  on  Social 
Service  may  appoint  representatives  to  take  part  in  the 
Federal  Council." 

It  should  be  said,  in  this  connection,  that  so  far  as  the  prac- 
tical aspects  of  the  matter  are  concerned,  the  relationship  is 
little  different  from  that  of  the  other  Christian  bodies,  and  the 
Federal  Council  has  received  delegates  from  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Commissions  upon  the  same  basis  as  the  delegates 
from  its  other  constituent  bodies,  and  has  received  from  them 
the  same  loyal  service.  This  is  also  true  of  the  federative 
movement  in  general,  the  difference  in  relationship  being 
largely  determined  by  locality  and  individual  preference  on  the 
part  of  pastors  and  churches. 

The  various  chapters  were  prepared  by  the  following  con- 
tributors : 

The  Baptist  Churches,   North,   Rev.   Albert  G.   Lawson, 


FOEEWOED  7 

Chairman  of  the  Baptist  Delegation  of  the  Federal  Council. 
The  National  Baptist  Convention  (Colored),  Rev.  Henry  K. 
Carroll,  Associate  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America.  The  General  Conference  of 
Free  Baptists,  Rev.  James  E.  Howe,  former  Dean  of  Cobb 
Divinity  School.  The  Seventh  Day  Baptists,  Rev.  Arthur  B. 
Main,  Dean  and  Professor  of  Theology,  Alfred  Theological 
Seminary.  The  Congregational  Churches,  Rev.  Charles 
Sumner  Nash,  President  Pacific  Theological  Seminary.  Dis- 
ciples  of  Christ,  Rev.  Peter  Ainslie,  President  Commission  on 
Christian  Union,  and  former  President  of  the  National  Con- 
vention. The  Christian  Church,  Rev.  Milo  True  Morrill, 
Secretary  for  Foreign  Missions.  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  Rev.  Edward  S.  Lewis,  Associate  Editor  of  Sunday 
School  Publications  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  Rev.  Wilbur  F.  Tillett, 
Dean  of  the  Biblical  Department  of  Vanderbilt  University. 
The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Rev.  John  T.  Jeni- 
fer, Historian  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church,  Bishop  Alex- 
ander Walters,  member  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Federal  Council.  The  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
America,  Rev.  James  Arthur  Martin,  Secretary  of  the  South 
Georgia  Annual  Conference.  The  Methodist  Protestant 
Church,  Rev.  Lyman  Edwyn  Davis,  President  of  the  General 
Conference  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church.  The  Presby- 
terian Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  Rev.  William  H.  Roberts, 
Stated  Clerk  and  former  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly. 
The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.,  Rev.  R.  C.  Reed, 
Professor  of  Church  History  in  Columbia  Theological  Semi- 
nary. The  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  North  America, 
Rev.  John  McNaugher,  President  of  Pittsburgh  Theological 
Seminary.  The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A., 
Professor  Frank  A.  Jurkat,  Professor  of  Hebrew  and  Church 
History  in  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Seminary,  Cedarville, 


8  FOEEWOED 

Ohio.  The  Welsh  Presbyterian  Church,  Rev.  William  H. 
Roberts,  American  Secretary  of  the  World  Presbyterian  Al- 
liance. The  Reformed  Church  in  America,  Rev.  Mathew 
Kolyn,  Professor  of  Historical  Theology,  Western  Theological 
Seminary.  The  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States,  Rev. 
James  I.  Good,  Professor  of  Reformed  Church  History,  Cen- 
tral Theological  Seminary.  The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church, 
Rev.  Duane  Wevill,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions, 
Pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  Baltimore,  Md.  The 
Evangelical  Association,  Rev.  Augustus  Krecker,  Professor  of 
Practical  Theology,  Schuylkill  Seminary.  The  United  Evan- 
gelical Church,  Rev.  A.  Stapleton,  President  of  Bible  Confer- 
ence Society,  and  Educational  Aid  Society  of  the  General 
Conference  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church.  The  Church 
of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  Rev.  Josiah  P.  Landis, 
President  of  Bonebrake  Theological  Seminary.  The  Mennon- 
ite  Church,  Professor  C.  Henry  Smith,  Professor  of  History, 
Bluffton  College.  The  Moravian  Church,  Rev.  W.  N. 
Schwarze,  Professor  of  Church  History,  the  Moravian  Col- 
lege and  Theological  Seminary,  Bethlehem,  Pa.  The  Friends, 
Professor  Allen  D.  Hole,  Chairman  of  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee of  the  Five  Years'  Meeting.  The  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church,  General  Synod,  Rev.  J.  A.  Singmaster,  President  of 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Theological  Seminary,  Gettysburg, 
Pa.  The  German  Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America,  Rev. 
J.  Horstmann,  Editor  of  the  Evangelical  Herald.  The  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  Rev.  Harry  Ran- 
some.  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Media,  Pa.  The  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  Rev.  Charles 
S.  Macfarland,  General  Secretary  of  the  Federal  Council. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  contributors  do  not 
present  these  sketches  as  official  representatives.  Men  were 
selected  simply  because  of  their  familiarity  with  the  history  and 
life  of  their  denomination.     Therefore  it  is  altogether  probable 


FOEEWOED  9 

that  some  things  may  be  claimed,  and  some  other  things  left 
unclaimed  by  the  writers,  to  which  other  representatives  of  the 
denomination  would  take  exception.  In  fact,  the  diversity  to 
be  found  within  a  denomination  is  often  as  striking' as  the  di- 
versity between  denominations  themselves. 

This  Handbook  suffers  the  inescapable  deficiencies  of  com- 
posite authorship,  the  sketches  not  being  made  after  a  common 
pattern.  We  can  readily  catch,  however,  the  significant  ele- 
ments in  denominational  diversity  and  easily  sense  the  spirit  of 
unity  witnessed  in  them.  This  is  the  purpose  of  the  book, 
and  the  student  who  wishes  to  go  farther  can  secure  his  infor- 
mation through  the  bibliographies  suggested.  In  the  main  the 
contributors  have  evidently  sought  to  emphasize  those  things 
which  have  been  popularly  misunderstood  and  have  omitted 
matters  on  which  there  is  common  and  adequate  knowledge. 
The  various  writers  were  simply  asked  to  state  the  case  for  their 
denominations. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  in  several  instances  two  of  these  de- 
nominations have  sprung  from  the  same  source.  Such  divi- 
sions, however,  relate  mainly  to  matters  which  are  now  merely 
records  of  history  and  which  do  not  make  points  of  division  at 
the  present  time.  Other  divisions^  notably  illustrated  by  the 
Lutheran  bodies,  are  due  to  racial  distinctions.  In  the  main 
these  various  denominations  are  measurably  the  product  of  the 
religious  genius  and  the  powerful  personality  of  some  one  man, 
although  undoubtedly  in  such  cases  the  man  may  have  per- 
sonaUzed  the  conscience  of  the  group.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
that  we  sometimes  find  two  denominations  alleging  with  equal 
insistence  that  they  stand  for  the  same  particular  principle. 
They  all  seem  to  have  arisen  in  part  as  expressing  the  demand 
for  liberty  and  tolerance.  Quite  likely  these  sketches  will  all 
be  adversely  criticized  by  some  members  of  each  denomina- 
tion, thus  illustrating  the  diversity  which  often  prevails  to  a 
greater  extent  between  two  particular  wings  of  one  denomina- 
tion than  does  the  unity  of  either  one  of  these  denominations. 


10  FOEEWOED 

In  the  case  of  one  particular  communion  the  contributor 
asserts  its  distinctive  qualities  with  considerable  emphasis,  and 
yet  the  editor  happens  to  know  of  a  particular  local  church  of 
that  denomination  which  is  made  up  of  people  who  brought 
their  letters  from  nine  other  denominations,  only  two  persons 
bringing  letters  from  a  church  of  this  particular  denomination. 
The  church  in  question  is  an  unusually  harmonious  one,  and 
seems  to  experience  no  difficulty  in  adapting  itself  to  the  larger 
interests  of  the  denomination. 

It  would  undoubtedly  have  added  to  the  interest  of  this 
volume  if  these  bodies  could  also  have  been  considered  in  re- 
lated groups.  The  coming  together  of  certain  groups  of  these 
denominations  is,  however,  a  movement  more  or  less  in  the 
interest  of  organic  unity,  and  belongs  in  that  sphere  rather 
than  that  of  federation,  although  the  relationships  of  the  two 
movements  are  apparent.  At  the  present  moment,  moreover, 
there  are  several  intersecting  movements  in  this  direction  and 
negotiations  are  now  taking  place  between  several  such  groups, 
looking  towards  organic  unity,  so  that  it  would  be  difficult, 
either  to  prophesy  the  future,  or  indeed  to  fix  the  present 
status  of  this  aspect  of  church  unity.  Therefore  it  has  seemed 
best  to  treat  the  whole  question  in  this  volume  within  the  scope 
of  federation. 

The  Editor. 

Neiv  Yorkf  igi6. 


Contents 


Constituent  Bodies  of  the  Council 

PAGE 

I.  The  Baptist  Churches,  North         .         .         •  ^5 

II.  The  National  Baptist  Convention   (Colored)  24 

III.  The  Free  Baptist  Churches     ....  28 

IV.  The  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Church  .         .         •  35 

V.  The  Congregational  Churches        ...  43 

VI.  The  Disciples  of  Christ  ....  50 

VII.  The  Christian  Church   .....  57 

VIII.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church   ...  65 

IX.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South         .  72 

X.  The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church       .  81 

XI.  The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  86 

XII.  The  Colored   Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 

America  .  .         .         .         .         '9' 

XIII.  The  Methodist  Protestant  Church         .         .       97 

XIV.  The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.        .102 

XV.  The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States     114 

XVI.  The    United    Presbyterian  Church  of  North 

America  .  .         .         .         •         .119 

XVII.  The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  (General 

Synod)  .  .         .         .         •         •         .127 

XVIII.  The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  (or  Presby- 

terian) Church       .         .         .         .         •     ^34 

XIX.  The  Reformed  Church  in  America  .         .         .137 

XX.  The  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States    .      148 

XXI.  The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church    .         .         .156 

II 


12 


COITTENTS 


XXII. 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI. 

XXVIl. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX. 

XXX. 


XXXI. 


The  Evangelical  Association 
The  United  Evangelical  Church 
The  United  Brethren  in  Christ  . 
The  Mennonites  .... 
The  Moravian  Church 
The  Friends         .... 
The  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church 
The  German  Evangelical  Synod  . 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 

{Represented  in  the  Federal  Council  by  Com- 
missions on  Christian  Unity  and  Social 
Serviced) 

The   Federal   Council  of  the  Churches   of 
Christ  in  America  ..... 


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14 


STATISTICS 


OTHER  STATISTICS 

(^Compiled by  Rev.  Henry  K.  Carroll) 


Baptist  Churches,  North 

National  Baptist  Convention  (Colored)  .    .    . 

Free  Baptist  Churches  * 

Christian  Church   ....*• 

Congregational 

Disciples  of  Christ 

Friends 

German  Evangelical  Synod 

Evangelical  Association 

Lutheran  Church,  General  Synod 

Mennonite  Church,  Gen'l  Conference.   .    .    . 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South    .... 

African  M.  E.  Church 

African  M.  E.  Zion  Church 

Colored  M.  E.  Church  in  America  .       ... 

Methodist  Protestant  Church 

Moravian  Church 

Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A 

Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.,  South    .    . 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church 

Reformed  Church  in  America 

Reformed  Church  in  the  U.  S 

Reformed  Episcopal  Church 

Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  (Gen'l  Synod) 

Seventh-Day  Baptist  Church 

United  Brethren  Church 

United  Evangelical  Church 

United  Presbyterian  Church 

Welsh  Presbyterian  Church 


Total  Enrollment 

Foreign 

Officers,     Teach- 

Home 

Missionaries 

ers,   Scholars  of 
Sunday-Schools 

Missionaries 

701  ' 

1,109,102 

1,583 

(1913)  6 

1,054,449 

500 

12 

93,500 

30 

637 

757,873 

1,952 

252 

1,257,639 

545 

100 

70,314 

24 

134,660 

99 

27 

164,648 

613 

57 

301,822 

247 

11 

t  16,889 

8 

1,245 

3,867,755 

t  4,000 

372 

1,707,817 

t  2,148 

75 

272,213 

(1913)  35 

267,250 

250 

(1913)  — 

359,409 

No  Infor' 
mation 

(1912)  19 

150,653 

t38 

120 

17,572 

27 

1,226 

1,329,409 

2,578 

325 

284,193 

§420 

485 

527,346 

1,200 

136 

123,508 

209 

64 

316,053 

190 

— 

9,848 

— 

2,000 

5 

11 

5,619 

40 

61 

410,237 

t317 

21 

131,082 

290 

291 

160,958 

292 

(1913)  3 

10,972 

1 

*  Rev.  Alfred  W,  Anthony  reports  that  no  statistics  apart  from  the  Northern  Baptist  Convention 
can  be  given  ;  that  union  of  the  two  bodies  is  well  advanced. 

f  Scholars  only. 

X  This  includes  ministers  who  are  supported  in  whole  or  in  part  from  home  mission  funds  ;  but  not 
missionaries  employed  by  the  several  annual  conferences. 

§  Does  not  include  missionaries  supported  entirely  by  presbyteries. 


The  Baptist  Churches,  North 

SINCE  men  differ  in  nature,  education  and  experience 
their  divergent  religious  views  are  tributes  to  independ- 
ent thinking.* 

Baptists  honor  a  nickname  coined  in  ignorance,  and  cherish 
our  history  as  a  bush  aflame  with  God.  He  who  imagines  we 
came  from  "John  the  Baptist,"  and  that  we  treasure  a  single 
asset,  *<one  of  the  most  ghastly  ironies  of  history,"  has  much 
to  learn.  We  put  ceremonials  lowest,  spirituals  highest ;  first 
reality,  then  expression,  and  each  must  be  true  to  the  other. 
Symbols,  not  sacraments,  globes  of  Hght,  not  signs  of  magic 
power,  **  the  medicine  of  immortality,"  are  the  two  ordinances 
which  show  forth  the  soul's  experience  of  vital  truths. 

Baptism  witnesses  to  such  truths  : — the  trinity,  the  Lordship 
of  Christ,  the  atonement,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  the 
reality  of  the  new  life,  to  Christ's  resurrection,  to  our  union 
with  Him  and  to  the  resurrection  of  believers.  Though  not 
our  one  asset  we  cling  to  the  one  pattern  recognized  as  baptism 
always,  everywhere,  and  by  all.  To  the  cry,  "  come  down 
from  the  cross  and  we  will  believe,"  His  answer  is  to  come  up 
from  death.  An  open  grave  completes  the  story  of  His  cross, 
and  we  continue  the  illustrated  witness  of  that  open  grave. 

Dermout,  the  Dutch  historian,  says,  '*  Baptists  may  be  re- 
garded  as  the  only  religious  denomination  that  have  continued 
from  the  very  time  of  the  apostles     .     .     .     who  have  kept 

»  So  independent  are  our  people  he  is  bold  who  thinks  to  represent 
37,371  ministers  and  52,410  churches,  yet  the  writer  believes  that  his 
statement  will  be  accepted  by  his  brethren  as  a  fair  showing  of  our  Baptist 
position. 

15 


16      CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

the  evangelical  faith  pure  through  all  the  ages."  We  of  to-day 
file  no  such  claim,  but  aim  to  manifest  New  Testament  Chris- 
tianity, which  antedates  the  great  creeds,  to  hold  living  truths 
that  thrive  in  any  zone,  and  to  be  known  by  principles  rather 
than  by  a  heritage  tracked  through  mouldy  traditions.  Heaven's 
rains  give  a  purer  water  of  life  than  would  subsoil  pipes  though 
beginning  at  Jerusalem. 

Everywhere  preaching  the  word  almost  everywhere  spoken 
against,  standing  for  truths  so  despised  that  Church  and  State 
joined  hands  to  smite  us,  choosing  affliction  rather  than  to 
strike  back,  our  prisons  became  cradles  of  liberty.  We  hold 
stifled  conviction  to  be  "  moral  murder,"  that  where  coercion 
is  greatest  religion  is  weakest,  and  have  fairly  earned  two 
honors  : — To  sufler  for  the  faith  beyond  any  other  name,  yet 
never  to  persecute.  Multitudes  were  slain  who  had  no  fear  of 
cardinal  or  constable,  who  spurned  doctrines  '*  tied  with  tight 
cords  of  blind  tradition,"  who  held  that  *' the  nearer  the 
sword  the  nearer  God."  The  last  martyr  burned  in  England 
was  a  Baptist  and  in  America  Harvard  expelled  her  first  pres- 
ident, Henry  Dunster,  a  noble  scholar,  for  Baptist  views. 

Cardinal  Hosius,  chairman  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  says, 
"  If  the  truth  of  religion  were  to  be  judged  by  the  readiness 
and  cheerfulness  which  a  man  of  any  sect  shows  in  suffering, 
then  the  opinions  and  persuasions  of  no  sect  could  be  truer 
than  those  of  the  Anabaptists,  since  there  have  been  none  for 
twelve  hundred  years  that  have  been  more  grievously  punished." 

Behind  war  fierce  passions  burn  or  principles  calmly  stand. 
External  authority  and  spiritual  freedom,  the  priest  and  the 
prophet,  like  Ebal  and  Gerizim  face  each  other.  Hugh  Price 
Hughes  says,  "  The  great  battle  of  the  twentieth  century  will 
be  the  final  struggle  between  the  Jesuit  society,  in  full  pos- 
session of  the  authority  of  Rome,  and  the  individual  conscience, 
and  .  .  .  the  anvil  on  which  the  Jesuit  hammer  will 
break  to  pieces  is  the  Baptist  conscience." 

Lindsay,  the  church  historian,  says,  "  Anabaptists  alone  of 


THE  BAPTIST  CHUECHES,  NOETH  17 

all  religious  parties  in  those  strenuous  times  recognized  that 
what  they  claimed  for  themselves  they  were  bound  to  grant  to 
others  ;  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  outside  of  the  Lutheran 
Reformation,^  they  welcomed  it,  hoped  much  from  it,  but  did 
not  arise  out  of  it ;  they  sprang  from  early  evangelical  praying 
bands  of  humble  Christians." 

The  great  Reformation  gave  to  the  people  open  Bibles,  cen- 
tral gospel  truths  and  Christian  songs,  but  missed  two  vital 
facts,  that  the  Lordship  of  Christ  and  the  priesthood  of  believers 
liberated  churches  and  individuals  from  human  control  in 
matters  of  faith.  When  sacramentalism  from  Greek  mystics, 
priestcraft  from  Roman  imperialists,  and  the  family  as  the  unit 
from  Judaizers  corrupted  the  simplicity  of  Christ,  our  radical 
forbears,  with  spiritual  "empires  in  their  brains,"  would  have 
none  of  it,  and  begged  for  free  Churches  in  free  states,  "  sheer 
insanity  "  to  the  Reformation  leaders.  If  granted  then,  the 
great  "  Free  Churches  "  would  not  be  subject  now  to  a  state 
Church.  They  who  were  called  "  the  scum  of  the  earth  "  are 
coming  to  their  own,  for  Canon  Winterbotham,  of  Scotland, 
says,  "  It  may  be  unhesitatingly  claimed  that  the  whole  trend  of 
modern  religious  opinion  is  towards  the  Anabaptist  position."  ^ 

Who  incarnates  a  great  truth,  rising  with  it  to  higher  table- 
lands, fronts  wider  horizons  of  life  and  larger  fields  of  service. 
Hubmaier  strikes  freedom's  note  in  1525,  a  Baptist  Church  of 
London,  in  16 14,  flashes  forth  the  clear  doctrine  of  religious 
liberty,  and  on  this  rock  Roger  Williams,  "  the  one  man  to 
whom  freedom  was  a  religion,"  in  1644,  founds  a  free  state, 
his  forecast,  "out  of  this  seed  shall  arise  the  most  glorious 

1  Often  called  "  the  stepchildren  of  the  Reformation,"  we  who  were 
never  in  the  Roman  Church  technically  are  not  Protestants,  yet  in  our 
independence,  at  least,  we  are  always  protesting  against  overhead  church 
control. 

2  »'  Anabaptists  created  the  fact  of  religious  liberty  and  in  time  the  world 
had  to  make  room  for  that  fact."  Civil  liberty  was  the  next  step,  for  we 
have  never  put  the  two  into  separate  compartments. 


18      CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

commonwealth  of  history,"  now  realized.  At  Providence,  in 
1764,  the  first  university  sounds  this  note;  when  "liberty" 
was  dangerous  and  "  Catholic  "  sectarian  Brown  writes  both 
words  in  her  charter.  Eucken's  recent  saying,  <*  Society  here 
is  vitalized  by  religion  and  carried  on  by  the  free  will  of  indi- 
viduals," shows  the  normal  fruit  of  our  principles.  It  is  the 
first  amendment,  not  the  original  constitution,  that  establishes 
religious  freedom  in  the  United  States  and  that  we  owe  to  Vir- 
ginia Baptists.* 

As  our  views  were  born  of  a  desire  to  conserve  the  spir- 
ituality of  the  Church,  spiritual  liberty  being  the  dominant 
note  in  all  Baptist  belief  and  history,  so  with  purest  motives  we 
also  have  behaved,  at  times,  as  if  we  bore  the  ark.  Scripture, 
to  the  ungodly,  is  written  in  cypher,  and  spiritual  ignorance  is 
never  drawn  out  by  "  theological  forceps."  We  have  always 
insisted  upon  a  regenerate  church  membership,  freedom  of 
thought,  the  supremacy  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  soul's  ability 
for  immediate  access  to  God,  teaching  that  every  man  is  a 
spiritual  unit  who  may  know  God  and  live  unto  Him  and  His 
spirit,  the  lamp  of  the  Lord,  reflecting  the  Light  of  the  world. 
Should  such  a  Church  stumble  it  will  be  up  "  the  great  world's 
altar  stairs  to  God." 

Baptists  are  not  *'  Separatists,"  if  it  means  that  we  cut  our- 
selves off  from  Christians.  Who  thinks  that  we  prefer  to  walk 
alone  or  that  we  are  always  inviting  opposition,  may  learn  how 

*  Who  thinks  we  make  too  much  of  these  facts  may  recall  that,  even  in 
our  free  America,  all  our  state  constitutions  but  one  showed  close  con- 
nection with  the  Churches,  while  creed  subscription  as  "  a  wicket  gate  to 
civil  office,"  public  worship  taxes,  and  religious  tests,  came  down  to  near 
the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century.  A  great  scholar  whose  own  re- 
ceived him  not  says,  "  I  am  fighting  for  what  Baptists  have  possessed 
from  the  beginning, — the  right  to  think  for  oneself  and  to  give  courteous 
expression  to  one's  thoughts."  Conventional  Christianity  and  State 
Churchianity,  spiritually  bankrupt,  go  down  together  in  this  frightful  war, 
but  a  spiritual  commonwealth,  where  One  is  Master  and  all  are  Brethren 
seems,  for  Christendom,  even  at  this  late  day  a  far-away  goal. 


THE  BAPTIST  CHUECHES,  NOETH  19 

we  were  driven  from  the  line  and  forced  into  self-defense. 
Walking  "  apart  from  their  fellows  from  love  of  the  truth  and 
in  that  love  suffering  untold  wrong,  may  be  making  the  most 
important  contribution  to  Unity  as  costly  as  it  is  abiding." 

Baptist  churches  have  arisen  in  Bohemia,  Germany,  Russia, 
Brazil  and  Mexico,  among  people  without  teachers,  from 
simply  reading  the  New  Testament.  Christianity's  tap-root  is 
a  common  experience  of  life,  love,  zeal  and  service,  not  a  com- 
mon creed.  The  holy  book  incarnate  in  the  holy  man,  and 
by  His  spirit  opened  to  us,  '*  ground  of  right  being  and  of 
being  right,"  the  disciples*  manual  of  faith  and  practice,  is  the 
one  court  to  which  we  bow.  Searching  into  the  Book  and 
abiding  in  the  Life,  we  get  the  one  dynamic  for  the  racial 
needs  and  the  world-wide  tasks  of  an  advancing  civilization 
that  keeps  us  abreast  of  to-day's  work. 

What  family  of  Christ  is  more  united  in  faith  and  general 
usages,  not  sounding  one  note,  but  harmonizing  all  notes  into 
a  symphony,  and  with  no  matters  of  faith  or  polity  that  we 
fear  at  any  time  to  debate  ?  A  family  noted  now  not  so  much 
for  specifics  as  for  a  blend  of  principles,  heirlooms  from  those 
of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy,  whose  suffering  is  swal- 
lowed up  in  joy  that  the  "heirlooms  "  are  now  accepted,  prac- 
tically, by  all.  Amid  fierce  opposition  God  has  prospered  us 
with  wonderful  growth  *  and  we  would  not  boast ;  "a  forest  of 
church  spires"  sounds  well.  Alas!  if  it  should  sink  into  a 
petrified  forest!  Many  marvel  how  such  '*a  rope  of  sand" 
holds  together  at  all,  much  less  endures  a  strain  that  the 
strongest  bodies  have  borne  none  too  well.     In  the  white  heat 

>  A  generation  ago  we  had  in  Russia  about  eighty  churches  with  3,029 
members,  and  now  it  is  reported  that  there  are  over  a  thousand  churches 
with  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  members  and  the  growth  continues. 
Yet  in  this  year  A.  d.  1915  the  Rev.  Wilhelm  Fetler,  one  of  the  noblest 
of  men,  and  a  most  eloquent  preacher,  is  sentenced  to  Siberia  and  then 
permitted  to  come  to  America,  but  banished  from  Russia  for  the  crime  of 
preaching  the  Gospel. 


20      CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

of  earnest  spirits  and  the  melting  of  hearts  before  world  tasks 
our  variety  is  fused  into  unity. 

Beginning  in  America  about  1639  with  a  handful  and  never 
having  had  help  from  immigration,  our  latest  figures  show 
37^371  ministers,  52,410  churches,  and  5,932,364  members. 
We  have  also  fourteen  seminaries,  one  hundred  colleges  and 
universities,  and  ninety-seven  academies  or  high  schools.  For 
organized  work  we  have  a  Northern  ^  and  a  Southern  Conven- 
tion, delegated  bodies,  meeting  annually,  a  General  Convention 
where  both  the  North  and  the  South  are  represented,  meeting 
triennially,  and  a  World's  Alliance  meeting  quadrennially. 
Each  state  has  its  convention  and  there  are  associations,  of 
smaller  groups  of  churches,  meeting  annually ;  but  one  and  all 
are  simply  missionary  in  character,  alike  in  doctrine  and  order, 
and  without  the  least  authority  over  any  church.  Having  no 
courts  for  creed  revision  we  have  no  heresy  trials. 

What  have  we  done  for  Unity  ?  Credit  to  us  the  new  start 
in  modern  missions  by  Carey,  and  that  in  Bible  translation  our 
missionaries  have  been  among  the  foremost ;  the  plan  for  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  is  called  the  oldest,  though 
twelve  years  earlier,  in  1792,  the  Rev.  Morgan  J.  Rhys,  a 
Welsh  Baptist,  started  at  Moleston  a  foreign  Bible  work,  and 
in  1785,  knowing  nothing  of  Raikes,  Deacon  William  Fox  or- 
ganized the  first  Sunday-School  Society  in  England  ;  the  for- 
mation of  the  London  Sunday-School  Union  of  which  a  Baptist 
was  the  secretary  for  half  a  century  ;  the  International  Lesson 
Committee's  greatest  organizer  and  its  first  secretary  were  Bap- 
tists ;  from  us  came  the  Baraca  and  Philathea  classes,  the  first 
primary  department,  the  first  chair  in  a  theological  seminary 
for  distinctive  Bible  School  study,  and  the  first  well  endowed 
woman's  college.  The  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian 
Endeavor,  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement  and  other  sig- 
nificant movements  had  from  the  first  some  of  our  best  leaders. 

1  The  seal  of  our  Northern  Convention  carries  this  motto ;  Matthew 
xxiii.  8-12 — Freedom — Union — Service. 


THE  BAPTIST  CHURCHES,  NORTH  21 

The  honorary  secretary  of  the  Federal  Council,  the  Rev.  E.  B. 
Sanford,  in  beginning  his  effort,  had  no  truer  coworkers  than 
some  of  our  best  known  ministers. 

In  reform  matters  we  have  always  been  torch-bearers.  The 
early  Washingtonian  temperance  movement,  of  eighty  years 
ago,  began  in  Baltimore  with  men  converted  under  Jacob 
Knapp;  the  first  paper  wholly  devoted  to  temperance.  The 
National  Philanthropist ,  was  established  at  Boston,  in  1826, 
by  the  Rev.  William  Collier,  a  city  missionary;  President 
Wayland,  of  Brown,  Governor  Briggs,  of  Massachusetts,  for 
the  North,  and  Governor  Lumpkin,  of  Georgia,  for  the  South, 
were  temperance  leaders  in  the  earliest  days,  while  the  Boston 
Baptist  Bethel  has,  probably,  the  oldest  church  temperance 
society  with  weekly  meetings  in  America.*  The  largest  sum 
ever  given  for  general  education  is  thirty-three  millions ;  of 
this  fund  more  has  been  given  many  times  over  to  others  than 
to  us  and,  in  addition,  the  same  Baptist  created  a  Foundation 
of  one  hundred  millions  for  world  betterment. 

After  sixty  generations  of  division,  if  we  would  unite  Chris- 
tians, we  must  begin  close  to  the  center  with  a  common  spirit 
rather  than  with  a  common  divisor,  whose  highest  power  will 
afford  full  freedom  for  the  individual,  as  its  highest  action  will 
be  in  love  and  loyalty  to  a  person.  "Jesus  is  Lord  "  is  both 
creed  and  experience  in  the  New  Testament,  for  in  the  Holy 
Spirit  only  can  one  say,  "Jesus  is  Lord,"  and  there  is  ample 
freedom  for  all  who  thus  accept  Him. 

If  the  good  in  us  is  of  God  and  the  good  in  our  brethren  is 
of  God,  what  should  hinder  our  immanent  God  from  having 
right  of  way  in  us  all,  and  our  spiritual  culture  from  passing 
over  into  spiritual  comradeship  where  liberty  and  unity  meet 
together.  From  Roman  tax-gatherers  and  from  fiery  spirits 
who  killed  such,  Jesus  chose  two  to  be  with  Him.  Simon  the 
zealot  and  Matthew  the  publican,  socially  and  politically  wide 

1  At  the  Bethel  may  be  seen  a  Pledge  Roll  as  large  as  a  barrel  signed 
by  scores  of  thousands,  mainly  sailors,  and  from  every  nation  of  the  globe. 


22       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

apart  as  the  poles,  were  cemented  into  one  through  common 
love  and  loyalty  to  Jesus.  Not  quantity  of  service  but  the 
quality  of  him  who  serves  counts  with  God. 

As  pioneers  of  the  rights  of  man  in  religion  our  views  readily 
find  a  place  in  the  current  thought  and  speech  of  every  age. 
*' Vital  rehgion  is  always  vernacular  in  language,  thought- 
vehicle,  and  application, ' '  and  Baptists  have  a  present  message 
for  the  world's  needs  : — so  to  state  the  Gospel  that  no  man  is 
left  out  on  account  of  birth  or  training ;  so  to  preach  Christ 
that  He  satisfies  all  man's  spiritual  needs ;  so  to  lift  churches 
out  of  the  maze  of  outgrown  words  and  rites  into  the  early 
simplicity  so  that  they  must  become  the  constructive  forces  of 
society.  When  spiritual  democracy  seeks  a  voice,  and  social 
movements  need  a  religious  interpreter,  he  may  best  serve  who 
has  never  bowed  the  knee  to  State  or  Church. 

Teaching  a  baptism  that  modern  scholarship  calls  the  fullest 
symbol  of  the  new  life  in  Christ,  but  also  teaching  that  salva- 
tion never  rests  on  rites  or  doctrines,  and  that  each  man,  free 
to  follow  his  conscience,  is  of  supreme  worth  before  God,  fits 
us  to  meet  the  people  in  revolt  against  priesthood  and  super- 
stition. Our  stand  for  an  open  Bible  and  the  Lordship  of 
Christ,  for  simplicity  in  religion  and  freedom  from  fiat  creeds 
and  bodies,  for  regenerate  church  membership,  independency 
in  Church  and  State,  and  the  principles  of  democracy,  fits  us  to 
carry  the  Gospel  home  to  men  thinking  scientifically  and  to 
Christianize  the  forces  that  are  remaking  the  world. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"A  Short  History  of  the  Baptists,"  H.  C.  Veddcr,  D.D. 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

"A    Century   of  Baptist    Achievement,"   A.    H.  Newman, 
D.  D.      American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

"  History  of  Anti-Pedobaptism,"    A.   H.   Newman,  D.  D. 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 


THE  BAPTIST  CHTJECHES,  NOETH  23 

"  A  Restatement  of  Baptist  Principles,"  P.  L.  Jones.    Amer- 
ican Baptist  Publication  Society. 

"  The   World's    Debt    to    Baptists,"   J.   W.   Porter,   D.  D. 
Baptist  Book  Concern,  Louisville,  Ky. 

"  Axioms  of  Religion,"   E.   Y.   Mullins,  D.  D.     American 
Baptist  Publication  Society. 


II 

The  National  Baptist  Convention 

THE  National  Baptist  Convention  represents  a  very 
large  body  of  Negro  Christians  in  the  United  States, 
indeed  the  largest. 
There  have,  of  course,  been  Negro  Baptists  in  the  South 
from  the  beginning.  White  Baptists,  who  have  always  been 
numerous  in  that  section,  cared  for  the  religious  interests  of  the 
slaves  in  the  years  before  emancipation ;  but  the  results  of  the 
Civil  War  required  Negro  Baptists  to  assume  the  responsibili- 
ties of  their  own  church  maintenance  and  development.  As 
they  emerged  from  the  condition  of  slaves  they  had  no  trained 
preachers  or  teachers,  no  schools  of  their  own  and  few  churches. 
They  had  gone  to  the  churches  of  their  masters  and  worshipped 
under  the  same  roof  with  them,  either  in  the  gallery  or  in  seats 
reserved  for  them  in  the  rear.  After  the  war  they  must  first  of 
all  get  houses  for  their  families,  and  then  houses  for  their  con- 
gregations. The  first  separate  church  of  Colored  Baptists  was 
formed  in  Williamsburg,  Virginia,  in  1785,  afterwards  dis- 
banded and  then  reorganized.  The  oldest  church  of  continu- 
ous history  was  organized  near  Savannah,  Georgia,  in  1788. 
Its  first  pastor  was  a  slave.  In  the  early  years  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  Negro  Baptist  churches  sprang  up  in  Boston, 
New  York,  Philadelphia,  Washington,  and  elsewhere ;  but  the 
number  of  such  churches  was  comparatively  small  down  to  the 
period  of  the  Civil  War. 

Associations,  consisting  of  a  group  of  churches  and  min- 
isters, state  conventions,  and  general  conventions,  came  natu- 
rally into  existence.  The  National  Baptist  Convention  is  the 
outcome   by  consolidation  of  a  number  of  conventions  of  a 

24 


THE  NATIONAL  BAPTIST  CONVENTION     25 

general  type.  i.  The  New  England  Missionary  Convention; 
2.  The  Consolidated  American  Missionary  Convention ;  3.  The 
General  Association  of  Western  States  and  Territories  ;  4.  The 
Foreign  Mission  Convention  of  the  United  States ;  5.  The 
American  National  Baptist  Convention ;  6.  The  Educational 
Convention.  The  process  of  merging  went  on  until  the  Na- 
tional Baptist  Convention,  dating  from  1895,  came  to  represent 
the  entire  list  of  general  organizations.  The  Lott-Carey  Con- 
vention of  Foreign  Missions,  formed  in  1897,  became  in  1906 
a  district  convention  of  the  National  Baptist  body. 

This  Convention,  which  meets  annually  in  various  popular 
centers.  North  and  South,  has  the  oversight  of  the  general  de- 
nominational interests  of  the  Negro  Baptists.  It  receives  and 
acts  upon  reports  of  its  boards  of  home  and  foreign  missions, 
education,  publication,  Young  People  and  National  Baptist 
Benefit. 

The  Foreign  Missions  Board,  which  cultivates  fields  in 
Africa,  South  America,  and  the  West  Indies,  has  its  head- 
quarters at  624  South  Eighteenth  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

The  Board  of  Home  Missions,  which,  with  the  assistance 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  supports  thirty-two  mission- 
aries in  the  Southern  States,  has  its  office  in  Little  Rock,  Ark. 

The  Educational  Board  looks  after  the  interests  of  the 
academies,  colleges  and  other  educational  institutions  created 
by  the  denomination. 

The  Baptist  Benefit  Board  seeks  to  raise  money  for  the  help 
of  retired  and  disabled  ministers,  and  the  families  of  deceased 
ministers. 

The  Board  of  Publication,  with  its  headquarters  in  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  supplies  Negro  Baptists  with  hterature,  Sunday- 
school,  young  people  and  general. 

The  Board  of  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  has  its 
office  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 

There  is  also  a  Woman's  Convention,  which  reports  to  the 
National  Convention. 


26       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The   National   Convention   has  two   classes   of    members: 

1.  Churches,  Sunday-schools,  or  other  organizations  which  pay 
a  fee  of  five  dollars  a  year  are  entitled  to  send  representation ; 

2.  Individuals,  who  pay  one  dollar  a  year  or  ten  dollars  for  a 
life  membership,  may  sit  as  delegates. 

Their  associations,  like  all  other  Baptist  associations,  are  for 
conference  and  advisory  action.  The  oldest  of  them  is  be- 
lieved to  be  the  Wood  River  Association  of  Illinois.  So  far  as 
known  the  oldest  association  in  the  South  was  formed  in 
Louisiana  in  1865.  According  to  the  census  of  1906  there 
were  then  upward  of  571  associations,  very  few  of  which  were 
in  the  North — only  about  thirty.  As  showing  the  distribution 
of  these  bodies,  Alabama  and  Georgia  each  had  eighty,  Mis- 
sissippi sixty.  South  Carolina  fifty-two.  North  Carolina  thirty- 
nine,  and  Virginia  thirty-three.  The  smallest  association  had 
less    than    200    members,   the  largest — Shiloh — in  Virginia, 

27»834. 
Of  members,  or  communicants,  the  census  of  1906,  which 

included  all  Negro  Baptist  churches,  associated,  or  unasso- 
ciated,  North  or  South,  gave  2,261,607,  of  which  less  than 
125,000  were  credited  to  New  England,  New  York,  New  Jer- 
sey and  Pennsylvania,  to  the  North  Central  division,  including 
Kansas  and  Missouri,  and  to  the  Pacific  States.  The  states 
reporting  the  largest  numbers  were  Georgia,  333,943,  Virginia, 
268,206,  Alabama,  259,825,  Mississippi,  240,982,  and  South 
Carolina,  219,841.  These  five  states  contained  an  aggregate 
of  1,322,797,  or  nearly  sixty  per  centum  of  the  entire  number. 

There  were,  by  the  same  authority,  upward  of  18,000 
churches,  1 7, 1 1 7  ministers,  and  17,832  church  buildings  which, 
with  their  sites  and  furniture,  were  valued  at  ;^24,437,272. 

The  Convention  does  not  report  any  statistics  of  members  or 
churches  ;  but  according  to  compilation  made  by  the  American 
Baptist  Year  Book  from  association  returns  the  membership  is 
considerably  below  the  census  figure  for  1906.  For  estimates 
of  the  strength  of  the  denomination  in  19 14,  see  statistical  ex- 


THE  NATIONAL  BAPTIST  CONVENTION     27 

hibit  elsewhere.  In  the  absence  of  anything  like  complete  and 
authoritative  returns  by  the  denomination  itself  only  approxi- 
mate figures  can  be  given. 

The  Convention  has,  with  the  generous  assistance  of  the 
Northern  and  Southern  Baptist  bodies,  developed  an  educational 
system,  including  academies  and  colleges.  There  are  twenty- 
one  colleges,  of  which  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  controls  twelve,  and  thirty-six  secondary  schools,  of 
which  the  Northern  Society  supports  nineteen.  The  Southern 
Baptist  Convention  is  assisting  the  National  Baptist  Convention 
to  establish  a  theological  seminary  at  Memphis. 

The  Publication  Board  at  Nashville  has  a  plant  valued  at 
;^30o,ooo,  and  provides  the  denomination  with  Sunday-school 
literature.  Of  Negro  Baptist  papers.  The  National  Baptist 
UnioHt  Nashville,  The  Christian  Banner^  Philadelphia,  and 
The  American  Baptisty  Louisville,  are  among  the  foremost. 

In  matters  of  faith,  the  churches  of  the  National  Baptist 
Convention  do  not  differ  essentially  from  those  of  the  Northern 
Baptist  Convention.  They  advocate  the  same  principles  and 
follow  the  same  polity. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Convention  in  Chicago,  111.,  in 
September,  191 5,  there  was  a  division  growing  out  of  the  in- 
corporation of  the  National  Convention,  and  the  opponents 
withdrew  and  held  a  separate  convention. 


Ill 

The  Free  Baptist  Churches 

THE  first  Baptist  Church  recognized  in  English  history 
was  of  the  General,  or  Free  Baptist  order,  and  ante- 
dated the  first  Particular  Baptist  Church  by  a  score 
of  years.  For  a  long  period  the  General  Baptists  constituted 
the  larger  and  more  influential  part  of  the  English  Baptists, 
and  therefore  we  should  expect  that,  among  the  earliest  Baptist 
Churches  in  America,  no  small  number  would  be  of  this  per- 
suasion, as  in  fact  they  were,  the  church  planted  by  Roger 
Williams  being  properly  reckoned  as  the  first. 

With  numerous  churches  centrally  located,  they  gave  early 
promise  of  a  large  denominational  growth  in  our  country,  a 
promise  that  only  needed  fulfillment  to  have  taken  away  any 
occasion  for  the  rise  of  the  Free  Baptists  as  a  separate  people. 
But  this  golden  opportunity  was  not  improved.  The  General 
Baptists  aimed  to  be  a  spiritual  people,  aimed  at  simplicity  and 
meekness,  declared  that  the  poor,  the  simple  and  despised  are 
more  likely  to  understand  spiritual  things  than  those  who  de- 
pend on  human  learning,  clung  to  crude  forms  of  worship, 
neglected  to  educate  and  support  the  ministry,  and  conse- 
quently in  a  progressive  age  fell  so  far  behind  that,  at  the  end 
of  one  hundred  years  of  existence,  though  their  churches  were 
not  few,  they  were  yet  weak  and  too  little  associated  to  be 
easily  recognized  as  a  distinct  denomination. 

In  ignorance  of  these  Baptists,  and  innocent  of  any  sectarian 
design,  Benjamin  Randall,  in  1780,  at  New  Durham,  N.  H., 
organized  a  church  that,  by  the  grace  of  God,  proved  to  be 
the  first  of  the  Free  Baptist  denomination  in  our  land. 

At  this  time  the  Congregational  Church  in  New  Hampshire 

28 


THE  FEEE  BAPTIST  CHURCHES  29 

was  an  established  state  Church,  for  which  meeting-houses  were 
built  and  pastors  supported  by  a  tax  laid  on  "  all  tolls  and  rate- 
able estates."  Some  freedom  seems  to  have  been  allowed  if  a 
town  wished  to  choose  its  minister  from  another  denomination ; 
but  Congregationalists  were  so  many,  and  members  of  other 
churches  so  few,  that  rarely  was  such  a  selection  made. 

It  was  made,  however,  at  New  Durham,  when  Randall  was 
invited  to  settle  in  the  place.  The  call  and  its  acceptance 
were  significant,  for  during  four  years  the  people  had  been 
nurtured  under  the  high  standards  of  the  state  Church.  The 
clergyman  whom  Randall  was  asked  to  follow  was  liberally 
educated,  and  brought  to  the  sacred  office  a  degree  of  culture 
to  which  Randall  was  a  stranger.  With  a  meager  intellectual 
outfit,  a  Baptist  and  unordained,  the  contrast  between  the  two 
ministers  was  made  plain. 

Benjamin  Randall 

Randall  was  born  in  New  Castle,  N.  H.,  in  1749.  For  nine 
years  he  went  to  sea  with  his  father,  who  was  a  sea  captain ; 
for  three  years  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  sail  maker  in  Ports- 
mouth ;  then,  becoming  of  age,  he  returned  to  New  Castle  and 
began  business.  The  next  year  Whitefield  came  to  Ports- 
mouth, and  there  preached  his  last  sermon.  He  was  eagerly 
heard  by  Randall,  but  heard  with  disfavor  and  opposition. 
What  the  great  evangelist's  pleas  failed  to  do  was  done  by  the 
sudden  report  of  his  death.  It  brought  Randall  to  his  knees, 
and  to  be  an  aftermath  of  Whitefield 's  ingathering.  On  con- 
fession of  faith,  he  joined  the  New  Castle  church,  remained  in 
it  four  years,  then  became  a  Separatist,  next  a  Baptist,  and 
through  some  travail  of  soul,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven,  a 
preacher.  After  preaching  here  and  there  for  two  years,  he 
went  to  New  Durham,  making  that  the  radiating  center  of  dis- 
tant, as  well  as  of  local  Christian  work,  and  to  this  feature  of 
his  work  the  Renaissance  of  the  Free  Baptist  Church  at  his 
hands  was  due. 


30      CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

Forced  Into  Being 

With  scrupulous  care  Randall  drew  his  sermons  from  the 
one  homiliarium,  and  therefore  was  surprised  to  find  them,  by 
some  Baptist  ministers,  charged  with  heresy.  Challenged  pub- 
licly to  defend  them,  he  accepted  the  challenge,  but  only  to 
find  himself  in  the  end  disowned  for  his  errors.  He  believed 
in  free  will  and  a  universal  atonement.  In  perplexity  over 
certain  texts,  after  prayer  about  them^  he  fell  into  a  trance  in 
which  all  his  difficulties  were  cleared  away,  an  experience  that 
through  life  he  greatly  valued.  There  were  a  few  ministers 
who  endorsed  Randall's  views  and  were  naturally  drawn  closer 
to  him ;  and  by  them,  at  New  Durham,  he  was  ordained  as  a 
Baptist  minister. 

Then,  disfellowshipped  by  his  Calvinistic  brethren,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  organize  a  church.  Nor  did  it  seem  prophetic  of 
any  great  career  awaiting  him  that,  after  two  years'  residence 
and  labor  in  New  Durham,  he  could  collect  but  a  little  flock 
of  seven  for  union  in  the  church.  Not  many  of  the  irreligious 
had  responded  to  his  appeals,  nor  had  many  of  the  Congrega- 
tionalists  been  proselyted  to  the  Baptist  faith.  Feeble,  however, 
as  was  the  church  at  its  beginning,  it  proved  to  be  a  living 
branch  of  the  true  vine,  for  by  the  end  of  the  year  it  had  added 
twenty  more  to  its  membership ;  and  these,  together  with  the 
far  larger  number  of  converts  elsewhere  gained,  made  an  aggre- 
gate sufficiently  great  to  signalize  1780  as  the  year  from  which 
to  date  the  birth  of  the  denomination. 

The  Pioneer  Ministers 

There  were  allied  with  Randall  seven  ministers  who  may  be 
called  the  pioneer  propagandists  of  Free  Baptist  faith.  They 
recognized  him  as  a  leader  of  the  church  that  had  to  be,  but 
they,  as  well  as  he,  brought  to  pass  the  reality  and  constant 
increase  of  *'  Free  Willers."  These  ministers  were  a  class  by 
themselves,  marked  by  their  own  ideas  and  ways.  With  one 
exception  they  were  unlettered  men,  and  in  general  intelli- 


THE  FEEE  BAPTIST  CHURCHES  31 

gence  did  not  much  excel  the  better  part  of  their  congregations. 
However,  they  were  religious  men,  and  looked  on  religion  as 
something  other  than  morality  touched  with  emotion,  even  as  a 
conscious  and  glowing  experience.  Christian  life  meant  life  at 
the  inmost  center  of  moral  being ;  begun  at  conversion,  devel- 
oped both  in  secret  and  by  enthusiastic  public  confessions,  and 
answering  to  the  most  vivid  descriptions  on  the  sacred  page. 

They  aimed  to  be  apostolic,  and  like  the  apostles  refused  to 
be  shut  up  to  any  one  locality.  Fired  by  an  unquenchable 
ardor  they  sought  out  places  where  Christ  was  not  preached, 
or  religion  was  neglected,  and  there  exalted  the  Saviour  of  the 
world.  Invading  the  slumbering  parishes  of  the  state  clergy, 
and  holding  conventicles  in  groves,  barns,  kitchens,  school- 
houses,  or  in  such  meeting-houses  as  were  not  shut  against 
them,  they  compelled  men  to  hear  the  glad  news  of  salvation. 

It  is  true  that,  like  revivalists  of  this  day,  they  sought  to  con- 
trol the  will  through  the  feelings.  To  that  end  they  cultivated 
a  style,  tones,  facial  expressions  that  stirred  the  emotions.  Like 
Paul,  they  "warned  men  night  and  day  with  tears";  and, 
weeping  themselves,  so  spake  that  they  were  wont  to  melt  their 
hearers  until  scarcely  a  dry  eye  was  left  among  them. 

The  promise  of  the  Spirit  to  the  apostles  when  brought  to 
judgment  was  interpreted  to  mean  the  pledge  of  the  same  gift 
to  disciples  as  they  preached ;  and  hence  these  men  became 
indifferent  about  exact  preparation  for  the  pulpit,  and  intolerant 
of  the  symbols  of  such  preparation  in  the  hands  of  others. 
Then,  too,  since  it  was  God  who  spoke  through  them  while 
preaching,  they  looked  for  hearers  to  be  immediately  converted. 
To  them  conversion  was  little  else  than  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven 
taken  by  violence.  Conviction,  distress,  struggle,  darkness, 
surrender,  the  dawn  of  faith,  then  the  rapture  of  a  new-found 
joy ;  these  were  the  approved  psychological  stages  of  the  soul's 
birth  from  on  high ;  and  while  the  speaking  went  on  all  these 
feelings  could  be  experienced.  Perhaps,  under  some  magnetic 
preacher,  convicted  sinners  might  fall  insensible,  and-  when 


32       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

consciousness  returned,  begin  to  praise  God  aloud  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  congregation.  Such  interludes  breaking  in  on  the 
worship  were  to  these  preachers  sweetest  music. 

Charges  of  fanaticism  they  could  not  escape.  Enthusiasm 
characterized  all  their  assemblies,  and  sometimes  in  excess. 
But  their  cause,  which  was  the  cause  of  Christ,  could  not  thus 
be  compromised ;  and  if,  at  any  time,  earnestness  ran  to  ex- 
travagance, these  devout  men  soon  held  it  in  check,  and  turned 
approaches  to  disorder  into  the  ways  of  spiritual  advancement. 

Such  was  the  first  generation  of  Free  Baptist  preachers ;  and 
such  the  finger-marks  of  the  builders  left  on  the  rising  church 
for  time  to  efface;  such,  too,  the  means  by  which,  in  the 
country  places  of  Northern  New  England,  converts,  churches 
and  ministers  of  the  Free  Baptist  faith,  at  the  time  of  Randall's 
death  in  1808,  had  become  a  people  five  thousand  strong. 

The  Free  Baptist  Faith 

It  was  at  first  thought  that  the  Scriptures  were  a  sufficient 
rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  that  no  other  creed  was  needed  ; 
but,  charged  with  heresies,  the  church  was  led  to  publish  a 
confession  of  faith.  As  this  is  orthodox  in  every  article,  it  will 
be  of  interest  here  to  attend  only  to  the  tenets  in  which  it  disa- 
grees with  those  of  some  of  the  other  Baptist  bodies. 

From  one  of  them  it  differs  in  accepting  the  Nicene  symbol 
in  respect  to  the  divinity  of  Christ ;  from  another,  in  regarding 
saving  faith  as  fiduciary  rather  than  historical,  as  antedating 
instead  of  being  simultaneous  with  baptism,  and  as  securing 
forgiveness  independently  of  baptism;  from  a  third,  by  hold- 
ing the  first  day  of  the  week  as  the  Christian  Sabbath ;  from  a 
fourth,  in  finding  only  two  ordinances  enjoined  by  our  Lord, 
and  in  viewing  the  government  of  the  church  as  originally 
democratic.  From  the  regular  Baptists,  for  more  than  a  cen- 
tury, the  Free  Baptists  were  kept  apart  by  preferring  the  early 
Greek  to  the  Augustinian,  or  the  Arminian  to  the  Calvinistic 
theology ;  by  recognizing  pedobaptist  as  Christian  churches ; 


THE  FEEE  BAPTIST  CHUECHES  33 

by  the  practice  of  Christian  in  place  of  sectarian  communion 
at  the  Lord's  Table.  Their  special  contention,  however,  has 
had  to  do  mainly  with  the  first  and  last  of  these  tenets. 

To  the  Free  Baptist  mind  the  teachings  of  Calvin,  under  the 
hand  of  the  most  adroit  and  cunning  technical  builders,  has 
never  been  framed  into  harmony  with  the  great  structural 
truths  of  Christianity.     The  five  points  are  a  glaring  misfit. 

To  the  Free  Baptist  mind,  also,  it  is  ethical,  logical  and 
Christian  to  concede  to  other  Christians  what  they  are  asked 
to  concede  to  it — the  right  of  private  judgment;  and  from  that 
premise  it  is  difficult  to  drav^  an  inference  against  the  validity 
of  pedobaptist  churches.  This  position,  endorsed  by  British 
Baptists,  few  of  the  regular  Baptists  here  openly  approve ;  nor 
do  all  Free  Baptists,  but  enough  for  it  to  be  counted  as  one  of 
their  characteristics. 

It  always  has  seemed  to  Free  Baptists  an  axiom  that  whom 
the  Lord  fellowships  at  His  table  His  followers  should  welcome 
there  in  His  name;  and  by  such  Christian  fellowship  Free 
Baptists  have  enjoyed  the  consciousness  of  oneness  with  all  who 
love  our  Lord,  and  added  to  their  alliterative  signal  cries  of 
Free  Will,  Free  Grace,  Free  Men,  one  other  like  note.  Free 
Communion. 

An  Honorable  Record 

The  triennial  General  Conference,  made  up  of  representa- 
tives from  all  the  yearly  meetings,  has  given  the  denomination 
a^voice,  and  a  voice  that,  on  many  subjects  before  the  churches 
of  the  country,  has  been  heard.  By  this  means  the  entire  Free 
Baptist  Church  has  spoken  and  gone  on  record  against  slavery, 
for  total  abstinence,  for  an  educated  ministry  (but  not  to  the 
exclusion  of  untrained  men  called  of  God  to  preach),  for  mis- 
sions at  home  and  abroad,  for  the  right  of  woman  to  a  free 
exercise  of  her  powers  in  the  church ;  and  last,  a  most  signifi- 
cant record,  for  union  with  the  regular  Baptists. 

Having  outgrown  the  crudities  of  her  early  days,  the  Free 


34       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Baptist  Church  has  come  forth  with  a  beauty  that  has  won 
many  proposals.  To  none  but  that  of  the  Baptists  could  she 
listen.  In  1905  they  launched  the  idea  of  a  union.  It  was 
presented  in  so  frank,  liberal,  cordial,  attractive  a  guise  that  it 
was  given  much  serious  thought,  was  considered  on  every  side, 
finally  was  accepted,  and  the  marriage  recently  consummated. 
We  need  not  go  into  details  further  than  to  say  that  the  terms 
of  union  were  so  Christian  that  three-fourths  of  the  resident 
members  of  the  Free  Baptist  churches,  having  the  question  pre- 
sented to  them,  voted  in  favor  of  it.  Equal  cordiality  was 
expressed  by  the  Baptist  constituency.  Consequently  the 
General  Conference,  after  due  deliberation  and  prayer,  clasps 
the  proffered  hand,  and  seals  the  contract  by  transferring  all  its 
educational  and  missionary  funds,  except  as  hindered  by  testa- 
mentary terms,  to  the  treasury  of  such  funds  among  the  Baptists. 

Adjustments  to  the  new  relationship  have  not  all  yet  been 
finished,  but  move  apace.  Time  is  required  for  some  associ- 
ated or  separate  churches,  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  to 
remove  barriers  and  get  together.  The  General  Conference 
will  remain  until  all  interests  can  be  harmoniously  merged. 

But  the  record  of  the  Free  Baptists  as  a  distinct  people, 
though  a  few  minor  items  later  may  be  added,  has  been  written. 
Not  without  many  a  longing,  lingering  look  behind,  yet  with 
gladness  that  she  can  thus  so  far  make  answer  to  the  Lord's 
prayer  for  the  unity  of  His  people,  she  passes  into  the  Baptist 
family  to  share  henceforth  the  history  of  the  Baptists. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

The  one  best  book  would  be,  "  History  of  the  Freewill  Bap- 
tists," by  Rev.  I.  D.  Stewart.  It  has  long  been  out  of 
print. 

«*  The  Life  of  Benjamin  Randall,"  by  F.  L.  Wiley,  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  191 5,  will  best  answer  for 
the  general  reader  who  wishes  to  know  for  what  we  stood 
as  we  entered  into  union  with  the  General  Baptists. 


IV 

The  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Church 

Introduction 

BEING  congregational  in  polity,  we  have  no  man  or 
group  of  men  clothed  with  authority  in  matters  of  faith 
and  practice.  But  the  writer  of  this  chapter  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  Commission  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  our 
General  Conference ;  this  appointment  was  confirmed  by  the 
Conference  itself  at  its  meeting  in  August,  191 4;  several 
friends  have  made  helpful  suggestions ;  and  the  manuscript 
was  approved  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  our  American 
Sabbath  Tract  Society.  The  statements  here,  therefore,  may 
justly  be  considered  fairly  representative. 

The  wish  of  the  editor,  as  I  understand  it,  is  that  these 
chapters  shall  consist  of  just  and  plain  statements  of  truth  and 
fact  generally  accepted  among  us,  and  without  argument  or 
proof.  To  this  plan  the  writer  will  endeavor  to  conform  with 
all  possible  conciseness  and  clearness. 

More  of  detail  may  be  needed  because  the  reader  is  not  as 
likely  to  be  acquainted  with  our  history  and  doctrines  as  in 
the  case  of  larger  and  better  known  bodies  of  believers. 

History 
Jesus  was  a  Sabbath-keeper,  not  after  the  manner  of  Pharisa- 
ism or  Mosaism,  but  in  the  liberty  of  the  New  Covenant. 

The  Apostle  Paul  preached  to  many  Sabbath -keeping  Gentile 
worshippers  of  God,  who  were  quite  as  ready  for  the  Glad 
Tidings  as  the  Jews. 

However  and  whenever  Sunday  came  to  receive  Christian 
regard  and  to  be  called  "Lord's  Day,"  the  Sabbath  also  was 

35 


36       CHUECHES  OP  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

long  kept  in  the  Church,  and  there  are  historical  reasons  for  be- 
lieving that  Christendom  was  never  without  Sabbath-keeping 
Baptists  in  the  period  preceding  the  Reformation. 

In  connection  with  the  Reformation  the  Sabbath  and  be- 
lievers' baptism  got  a  new  hold  upon  the  moral  judgments  of 
men ;  and  these  principles  spread  with  spreading  Protestantism 
on  the  continent  and  in  England. 

Buchanan,  in  "Researches  in  Asia,"  writing  over  one 
hundred  years  ago,  tells  of  the  religious,  moral  and  industrial 
worthiness  of  Seventh-Day-keeping  Christians  whom  he  found 
in  Armenia. 

In  England  several  Sabbath-keeping  Baptist  churches  were 
organized  in  the  seventeenth  century,  the  present  Mill  Yard 
Church  being  the  oldest.  These  numbered  among  their  min- 
isters and  leaders  such  men  as  the  martyr,  Rev.  John  James,  of 
whom  Dr.  Thomas  Armitage  said,  "  The  blood  of  John  James  the 
martyr  alone  is  sufficient  to  perpetuate  the  Seventh-Day  Baptist 
Church  for  a  thousand  years";  Dr.  Peter  Chamberlain,  phy- 
sician to  kings  and  queens ;  the  scholarly  and  popular  Stennetts ; 
the  wealthy  merchant,  Joseph  Davis;  Nathaniel  Bailey,  the 
lexicographer;  Thomas  Bampfield,  speaker  of  the  House  of 
Commons  under  Richard  Cromwell;  William  Tempest,  bar- 
rister and  poet ;  and  the  late  learned  William  H.  Black. 

This  division  of  the  Protestant  movement  seemed  likely  to 
make  much  progress,  notwithstanding  opposition  and  perse- 
cution, when  the  theory  was  launched  that,  not  the  authority 
of  the  papal  Church,  but  the  fourth  commandment,  should  be 
placed  under  the  Christian  Sunday.  Out  from  this  theory 
came  the  Puritan  Sabbath. 

The  first  church  to  be  organized  in  America  was  at  Newport, 
R.  I.,  in  1672.  From  this  point,  and  from  New  Jersey,  our 
people  spread  West  and  South. 

Among  our  leaders  we  number  Governor  Samuel  Ward, 
patriot  and  statesman,  member  of  the  Continental  Congress, 
and   friend  of  Washington;    and,  not  to  mention  others  by 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  CHUKCH      37 

name,  governors,  state  and  national  legislators,  philanthropists, 
lawyers,  bankers,  merchants,  scientists,  physicians,  writers, 
scholars,  educators,  temperance  reformers,  inventors,  and 
manufacturers. 

These  things  are  not  mentioned  in  the  way  of  boasting, 
beyond  the  claim  that  notwithstanding  real  or  supposed 
hindrances  our  people  have  tried  to  keep  their  feet  on  the  earth 
and  among  men  of  thought  and  action. 

Organization 

Inevitably,  perhaps,  we  have  been  individualistic  and  inde- 
pendent ;  but  we  are  slowly  growing  away  from  extreme 
individualism. 

Our  annual  General  Conference  is  an  advisory  body  made  up 
of  somewhat  informally  appointed  delegates  from  the  churches, 
and  the  members  present  from  the  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Mission- 
ary, the  American  Sabbath  Tract,  and  Seventh-Day  Baptist 
Education  Societies.  The  Conference,  once  an  independent 
body,  and  the  three  incorporated  societies,  have  been,  in  a  large 
degree,  merged.  The  societies  report  to  the  Conference ;  and 
the  Conference  approves  their  budgets  and  nominates  their 
officers.  Later,  each  society  holds  a  formal  and  legal  meeting, 
at  which  little  is  done  beyond  ratifying  these  nominations. 

Ministers  are  usually  ordained  by  local  councils ;  but,  now. 
Conference  is  generally  asked  to  approve  of  such  ordination, 
and  to  furnish  the  one  ordained  with  credentials  as  a  minister 
of  the  Gospel,  approved,  representatively,  by  the  entire  de- 
nomination. 

Seven  associations,  meeting  annually,  cover  the  territory 
of  the  United  States.  These  are  little  more  than  religious 
conventions  held  largely  with  reference  to  the  good  of  the 
given  district. 

Education 

We  have  always  been  the  friends  of  higher  education.  Most 
of  the  academies  that  we  were  instrumental  in  establishing,  ni 


38       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

the  earlier  years,  have  given  way  to  the  modern  high  school. 
But  we  have  two  colleges,  one  in  Wisconsin,  one  in  West 
Virginia ;  a  university,  and  a  theological  seminary,  or  school 
of  theology  and  religious  education,  in  the  State  of  New  York. 
The  following  are  a  few  totals  taken  from  the  report  of  our 
education  society  for  1913-1914  :  Value  of  buildings  and  equip- 
ment, owned  or  controlled,  over  ;^45o,ooo;  endowment,  over 
^530,000;  income  and  expenditure,  over  ^130,000;  teachers, 
eighty-five;  students,  over  one  thousand. 

If  we  should  include  permanent  funds  devoted  to  missionary 
and  other  philanthropic  work,  we  could  report  considerably 
over  a  million  dollars  set  apart  for  education  and  missions. 

These  schools  are  not  and  have  never  been  sectarian,  in  the 
narrower  meaning  of  that  word.  They  were  founded  and  have 
grown  in  a  prevailing  denominational  atmosphere ;  but  their 
administration,  instruction,  financial  support,  and  student- 
patronage  have  been,  in  some  real  sense,  interdenominational. 
Their  doors  have  been  wide  open,  with  equal  rights  and  priv- 
ileges, to  all  who  desired  and  were  prepared  to  enter. 

Evangelism  and  Missions 

Wherever  we  have  been  well  known,  and  judged  in  the  light 
of  our  dominant  spirit  and  purpose,  as  in  America,  England, 
Holland  and  China,  we  have  been  recognized  and  fellow- 
shipped  as  evangelical  Christians. 

We  are  not  Jesuitical  in  method,  or  Judaizing  in  religion,  or 
materialists  in  philosophy ;  but  disciples  of  the  New  Covenant 
in  Jesus'  blood. 

In  England,  Sabbath-keeping  Baptist  ministers  have  served 
First-day  Baptist  churches,  and  presided  over  Baptist  associa- 
tions ;  and  one  of  the  Stennetts  was  chosen  to  address  the 
British  throne  on  behalf  of  dissenting  Christians. 

In  Holland,  the  Rev.  G.  Velthuysen,  Sr.,  was  called  to 
leadership  in  gospel  temperance  work  ;  and  his  son,  for  ef- 
ficiency, acknowledged  in   Europe   and  America,  as  a  great 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  CHUECH      39 

moral  and  social  reformer,  has  been  "decorated"  by  the 
queen  of  the  Netherlands. 

In  China,  our  missionaries  are  treated  as  fellow-workers  in  the 
spread  of  the  one  Gospel  of  Christ ;  and  our  senior  missionary, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  D.  H.  Davis,  of  Shanghai,  has  been  chairman  of 
an  interdenominational  board  of  translators,  and  a  kind  of 
counsellor-at-large  for  other  missionaries  and  missions  when 
they  were  in  trouble. 

When  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Newport,  R.  I.,  was 
broken  up  by  the  fortunes  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  our  pas- 
tor temporarily  shepherded  the  scattered  flock. 

In  1808  the  following  utterance  went  forth  from  our  confer- 
ence in  defense  of  the  then,  though  not  now,  generally  prac- 
ticed "  close  communion  "  ; 

**  Dear  Brethren  : 

"  We  do  not  blame  you  for  loving  Christians  of  any 
denomination,  for  we  find  many  sweet  and  comfortable  hours 
in  joining  with  our  First-day  brethren  in  the  worship  of  our 
God ;  yet,  for  the  sake  of  good  order  and  discipline  in  God's 
house,  we  think  it  necessary  to  take  up  the  cross  in  that  one 
point,  that  is,  to  withhold  our  external  fellowship,  in  token 
that  we  do  not  fellowship  error.  We  hope  you  will  see  the 
propriety  of  our  conduct,  and  put  on  charity  for  us." 

Our  evangelism  has  not  been'proselytism  ;  and  it  is  probable 
that  a  few  thousand  members  have  been  added  to  the  churches 
of  other  denominations  through  the  labors  of  our  own  evan- 
gelists. 

We  have  done  a  little  missionary  work  in  other  lands ;  but 
our  principal  foreign  mission  efforts  have  been  in  China,  where 
we  began  work  in  1847.  The  following  are  a  few  totals  from 
the  report  for  1913-1914  : 

Two  ordained  missionaries,  with  their  wives,  and  two  women 
teachers  at  Shanghai.     Two  women  medical  missionaries  at 


40       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Lieu-oo,  who  ministered  to  over  5,000  different  patients,  be- 
sides teaching  the  Jesus  doctrine.  Boarding  and  day  schools, 
with  178  pupils.  And  two  churches  with  a  membership  of 
eighty-three. 

Doctrines 

The  fact  that  our  theological  and  ethical  views  are  essen- 
tially the  same  as  most  of  those  held  by  the  constituent  bodies 
of  the  Federal  Council,  and  like  those  of  the  great  Baptist  de- 
nominations, save  in  one  particular,  renders  a  full  statement  of 
our  doctrinal  position  quite  unnecessary. 

Philosophically,  our  belief  is  that  while  all  great  ancient  re- 
ligions have  had  sacred  times  as  symbols  of  religion,  the  He- 
brew prophets  and  lawgivers  alone  have  held  to  holy  days  in 
connection  with  and  as  helpful  to  an  ethical  monotheism. 
This,  with  the  added  light  of  the  fourth  chapter  of  Hebrews, 
the  epistle  itself  being  a  philosophy  of  religious  history,  is  the 
basis  of  our  doctrine  of  spiritual  Sabbathism.  **  The  Sabbath, 
like  other  Hebrew  institutions  which  were  not  originally  con- 
fined to  Israel,  assumed  among  the  Hebrews  a  new  character, 
being  stripped  of  its  superstitious  and  heathen  associations, 
and  being  made  subservient  to  ethical  and  religious  ends." 

Scripturally,  we  hold  that  there  is  no  authority  for  the  abro- 
gation of  the  Sabbath  principle,  or  for  the  substitution  of  the 
so-called  Christian  Sabbath. 

Historically,  while  we  believe  that  no  time  can  have  in  itself 
moral  qualities,  the  seventh  or  last  day  of  the  week  is  the  only 
day  that,  in  the  Bible,  or  in  sentiment,  or  experience,  has  vin- 
dicated its  right  to  be  the  one  great  time-symbol  of  our  holy 
religion,  and  the  one  sacred  earthly  vase  in  which  to  preserve 
the  Sabbath  idea  as  a  witness  for  Him  who  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  ;  and  a  visible  sign  of  the  believer's  Sabbath- 
rest  in  Jesus  our  Saviour. 

Practically,  we  go  to  our  Lord,  not  to  Mosaisra  or  Levitical- 
ism,  to  learn  how  to  keep  the  Sabbath  spiritually,  ethically  and 
socially. 


THE  SEVENTH-DAY  BAPTIST  CHUECH      41 

Conclusion 

We  are  in  full  sympathy  with  the  campaign  for  a  weekly 
day  of  rest  for  hand  and  brain  toilers ;  indeed,  some  of  us 
favor  a  five-day  industrial  week. 

Legislation  on  behalf  of  the  Sunday  probably  began  with 
Constantine ;  and  in  our  opposition  to  Sunday  laws  we  do  not 
wish  to  break  down  a  Sabbath  conscience.  We  are  simply 
opposed  to  such  religious  legislation,  in  the  firm  conviction 
that  the  things  of  religion,  including  the  Sabbath  and  the 
Lord's  Day  of  the  Church,  belong  to  the  realm  of  instruction, 
conscience  and  freedom. 

Our  principles  are  spreading  more  widely  than  many  sup- 
pose, both  among  other  Sabbath-keepers,  and  among  those  who 
do  not  observe  the  seventh  day ;  but  our  statistical  numbers 
are  small,  never  having  quite  reached,  I  think,  10,000. 

We  have  a  hand  and  heart  of  fellowship  for  all  who,  with  a 
real  Christian  experience  through  Hving  faith  in  Christ  as 
Saviour  and  Lord,  are  honest  seekers  after  more  and  more 
knowledge  of  truth  and  duty,  and  have  thus  become  members 
of  the  Church  of  God,  the  spiritual  body  of  Christ,  of  which 
the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  is, 
at  present,  the  greatest  organized  manifestation. 

We  therefore  appreciate  with  real  satisfaction,  and  desire  to 
reciprocate  heartily,  the  fraternal  courtesy  shown  to  us  as 
members  of  the  Council,  with  whose  spirit,  purpose  and  grow- 
ing work  and  influence,  in  the  coming  Kingdom  of  God,  we 
are  in  warmest  sympathy. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  The  Seventh-Day  Bapdst  Memorial." 
"  Manual  of  Seventh-Day  Baptists,"  by  Geo.  B.  Utter. 
"  History  of  the  Seventh-Day  Baptist  General  Conference," 
by  James  Bailey. 


42       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

"  Proceedings  of  the  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Council,"  held  in 
Chicago. 

"  History  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  Sunday,"  by  A.  H.  Lewis. 

"Jubilee  Papers." 

"  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Handbook,"  by  A.  H.  Lewis. 

"  History  of  the  Seventh-Day  Baptists  in  West  Virginia,"  by 
Corliss  F.  Randolph. 

"  Seventh-Day  Baptists  in  Europe  and  America."  (Two 
volumes  of  over  fifteen  hundred  pages,  and  the  most 
complete  history  of  the  denomination  yet  published.) 

"  Bible  Studies  on  the  Sabbath  Question,"  by  Arthur  E.  Main. 

Bound  Periodicals,  covering  nearly  one  hundred  years. 

"  The  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Year  Book." 

For  information  concerning  these  and  many  other  publications 
address  The  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  Plainfieldp 
New  Jersey,  U.  S.  A. 


The  Congregational  Churches 

THE  body  of  churches  which  first  took  the  Congrega- 
tional name  and  developed  the  Congregational  polity 
arose  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  out 
of  a  revolt  in  the  Church  of  England  against  unregenerate 
membership  and  control  by  the  state.  There  were  two  distinct 
parties  in  the  revolt,  the  Puritans  who  sought  to  reform  the 
church  from  within,  and  the  Separatists  who  withdrew  to  form 
a  new  and  pure  church  upon  the  simple  model  rediscovered  in 
the  New  Testament.  Sporadic  instances  are  recorded  of  Sepa- 
ratist congregations  as  early  as  1567,  meeting  covertly  and 
harried  by  the  officers  of  Church  and  State.  The  first  churcli 
to  maintain  permanent  life  was  the  one  organized  in  1602  at 
Gainsborough.  To  this  church  came,  in  1604,  the  Rev.  John 
Robinson,  thenceforward  until  his  death  in  1625  the  leading 
minister  in  the  Separatist  movement  and  the  Pilgrim  migration 
to  New  England.  In  1605  or  1606  Pastor  Robinson  and  a 
section  of  the  Gainsborough  church  withdrew,  by  amicable 
division,  to  Scrooby,  where  they  worshipped  in  the  manor- 
house  of  William  Brewster.  Persecuted  by  the  government, 
the  Scrooby  church  emigrated  in  1607  or  1608  to  Holland  and 
settled  in  Leyden.  There  it  made  a  considerable  growth,  but 
could  discover  no  prospect  of  extension,  nor  even  of  permanent 
independence.  Hence  was  formed,  through  profound  and 
prayerful  deliberation,  the  momentous  purpose  which,  in  1620, 
led  the  Pilgrim  company,  a  heroic  portion  of  the  Scrooby- 
Leyden  church,  across  the  Atlantic  in  the  Mayflower  to  begin, 

43 


44       CHUEOHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

at  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  the  settlement  of  New  England 
and  the  development  of  ecclesiastical  and  political  democracy, 
a  free  church  in  a  free  state.  At  Plymouth  was  established  the 
first  Congregational  church  in  America.  From  time  to  time 
for  nearly  ten  years  it  received  accessions  from  the  church  in 
Leyden.  Its  minister  was  a  layman,  William  Brewster,  from 
Scrooby,  Pastor  Robinson  remaining  in  Leyden.  It  admin- 
istered its  own  affairs,  in  the  complete  freedom  from  external 
control  which  it  had  dared  so  much  to  achieve  for  itself  and 
the  world.  Not  until  1629  was  a  second  church  formed  in  the 
new  land  and  the  beginnings  of  church  fellowship  essayed. 

The  Puritans  of  England,  who  had  multiplied  and  acquired 
standing,  but  had  effected  little  towards  a  spiritual  reformation 
within  the  established  Church,  began  in  1623  an  emigration  to 
New  England,  distinct  and  separate  from  that  of  the  Pilgrims. 
The  movement  acquired  volume  and  force  in  1628-1630,  and 
by  1640  more  than  20,000  had  arrived.  They  founded  the 
Massachusetts  Bay  Colony,  whose  center  grew  into  the  city  of 
Boston.  In  1 634-1 636  two  prominent  churches  of  the  colony 
removed  to  the  fertile  valley  of  the  Connecticut  River  and 
formed  the  Connecticut  Colony,  in  and  around  the  present 
city  of  Hartford.  In  1637  another  Puritan  company  sailed 
from  England  and  the  following  year  established  the  New 
Haven  Colony.  Thus  New  England  Congregationalism  en- 
joyed four  distinct  centers  of  development.  They  were  all  es- 
sentially homogeneous,  yet  each  contributed  to  enrich  the 
resultant  administrative  forms  in  both  Church  and  State. 

The  first  formulation  of  the  Congregational  polity  was  pub- 
lished in  1582  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Browne,  whose  tracts  on 
this  subject  entitle  him  to  high  honor  among  the  founders  of 
Congregationalism.  His  exposition  of  the  new  order  was  so 
democratic  as  to  be  in  advance  of  his  day,  and  Congrega- 
tionalism in  both  England  and  New  England  practiced  for  a 
century  the  less  radical  form  put  forth  about  1590  by  the 
Separatist  martyr,  Henry  Barrowe.     The  Puritans  carried  to 


THE  COIsTGEEGATIONAL  CHURCHES         45 

the  new  world  the  firm  purpose  to  remain  in  the  Church  of 
England,  yet  their  churches,  beginning  at  Salem  with  the 
second  church  in  America,  embraced  the  freedom  and  adopted 
the  independent  polity  of  the  Pilgrim  Church  of  Plymouth. 
Ecclesiastical  differences  between  Pilgrim  and  Puritan  disap- 
peared. Sincere  Christians  covenanted  together,  elected  of- 
ficers, installed  pastors  and  administered  all  church  affairs, 
independent  of  external  control.  Their  ordained  ministers 
constituted  a  single  order  of  equal  rank.  Their  deacons  were 
laymen.  Their  sacraments  were  baptism  in  any  form,  includ- 
ing infant  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  Such,  with  liberty 
in  non-essentials,  is  the  character  of  the  churches  which  have 
composed,  since  earliest  New  England,  the  Congregational 
denomination  in  the  United  States. 

For  two  centuries  Congregationalism  was  mainly  confined  to 
New  England,  even  its  own  adherents  accepting  the  notion 
that  the  wide  spaces  westward  called  for  stronger  forms  of  or- 
ganization. About  1840  an  extensive  growth  began  which  has 
carried  Congregational  institutions  into  all  parts  of  the  country. 
The  dissipation  of  Congregational  forces  and  resources  by 
lavish  contributions  to  other  denominations  was  checked.  A 
Congregational  consciousness  has  arisen,  which  has  both  mul- 
tiplied numbers  and  invigorated  fellowship.  The  esprit  de 
corps  continues,  however,  less  binding  than  that  of  many  other 
branches  of  the  church  and  the  growth  correspondingly  slower. 
The  last  statistical  tables  (19 14)  give  6,093  Congregational 
churches  in  the  United  States  with  763,182  members. 

The  Congregational  churches  have  grouped  themselves  for 
fellowship  and  service  under  the  following  forms.  The  churches 
and  ministers  within  a  convenient  area  are  organized  into  a 
district  association.  Independently  of  such  associations,  the 
churches  and  ministers  in  each  state  constitute  a  state  confer- 
ence. The  organization  for  nation-wide  administration  is  the 
National  Council  of  the  Congregational  Churches  of  the 
United  States,     There  are  seven  national  missionary  societies : 


46      CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  American  Board,  the  oldest  foreign  missionary  society  in 
the  United  States ;  the  Congregational  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety ;  the  American  Missionary  Association ;  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  Building  Society;  the  Congregational  Educa- 
tion Society ;  the  Congregational  Sunday-School  and  Publish- 
ing Society;  the  Congregational  Board  of  Ministerial  Relief. 
There  are  three  Woman's  Boards  of  Missions  active  in  foreign 
work,  and  a  Woman's  Home  Missionary  Federation  composed 
of  thirty-three  woman's  state  home  missionary  unions.  All 
these  missionary  societies,  hitherto  voluntary  and  independent, 
are  now  entering  into  constituent  relations  with  the  National 
Council.  Besides  these  permanent  bodies  Congregationalists 
have  from  the  beginning  made  large  use  of  local  councils, 
made  up  of  any  number  of  churches  and  ministers  called  to- 
gether for  specific  purposes  precisely  stated  in  the  letters  of  in- 
vitation. Such  councils,  having  no  permanent  life,  and  hav- 
ing therefore  surrendered  important  functions  to  the  district 
associations,  will  continue  to  render  advisory  service  of  the 
highest  value  in  the  adjustment  of  difficulties  and  in  all  sorts 
of  cases  requiring  expert  counsel. 

Distinctive  Characteristics 

The  Congregational  polity  is  based  on  the  principle  of  the 
immediate  and  unlimited  communion  of  the  human  soul  with 
God.  It  holds  this  true  for  every  individual  and  every  group 
of  sincere  Christians.  Each  and  all  may  enjoy  at  all  times  the 
fullness  of  the  divine  gift.  Nor  is  official  responsibility  substi- 
tuted at  any  point  for  personal  obligation.  In  this  polity,  per- 
haps more  than  in  any  other,  the  purity  and  prosperity  of  the 
Church  and  the  progress  of  the  Kingdom  are  made  dependent 
on  individual  character  and  initiative. 

Such  dependence  would  be  vain  and  ruinous  save  on  the 
further  principle  of  a  regenerate  membership.  Accordingly, 
this  has  been  from  the  beginning  the  central  working  principle 
of  the  Congregational  polity.    None  should  be  church-members, 


THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES    47 

mutually  trusted  and  jointly  responsible,  save  those  genuinely 
inwrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  In  renewed  and  consecrated 
hands  all  spiritual  affairs  are  safe  and  progressive.  Among 
Congregationalists  all  lapses  from  this  principle  have  been  local 
and  temporary. 

It  has  been  another  article  in  the  Congregational  faith  that 
persons  thus  renewed  and  animated  from  on  high  will  be  im- 
pelled to  seek  enlightenment  and  culture.  Nor  would  a  right 
heart  be  sufficient  equipment  for  wise  and  effective  administra- 
tion. The  trained  mind  and  cultured  spirit  must  bear  the 
main  burden.  This  led  Congregationalists  from  the  beginning 
to  demand  a  cultivated  ministry  and  to  provide  for  general 
education.  Ever  since  the  founding  of  Harvard  College  in 
1636,  Congregationalists  have  been  foremost  creators  and  sup- 
porters of  higher  institutions  of  learning.  The  effects  have 
registered  in  the  character  and  work  of  their  churches.  If 
other  denominations  have  surpassed  the  Congregational  body 
in  winning  large  numbers  to  Christ,  the  latter  has  sought  to 
excel  in  the  culture  of  Christian  character. 

The  autonomy  of  the  local  church  has  usually  been  con- 
sidered the  most  distinctive  characteristic  of  the  Congrega- 
tional body.  If  this  was  originally  adopted  on  the  authority 
of  the  Scriptures,  it  was  derived  also  from  the  principles  of 
regenerate  and  intelligent  membership.  Composed  of  genuine, 
educated  Christians,  led  individually  and  collectively  by  the 
Spirit,  every  local  church  is  competent  to  conduct  its  own 
affairs.  In  early  Congregationalism  this  principle  was  carried 
perilously  near  to  sheer  independence.  Congregationalists  ob- 
tained this  freedom  at  a  great  price  and  have  been  correspond- 
ingly sensitive  over  it.  Not  until  recently,  if  even  now  every- 
where, has  mutual  confidence  reached  the  tranquil  faith  that 
the  independence  of  the  local  Congregational  church  has  been 
achieved  and  is  to  be  calmly  taken  for  granted  in  whatever 
denominational  advances  or  union  movements. 

Congregational  church  fellowship  is  voluntary  in  all  its  forms. 


48       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  system  is  characterized  by  the  absence  of  authority.  Not 
even  in  the  local  church  will  authority  to  act  independently  of 
the  membership  be  delegated  for  a  single  year  to  a  session  or 
other  official  body.  The  local  field  is  so  limited  and  compact 
that  the  membership  can  administer  its  current  affairs  as  a 
direct  or  pure  democracy.  The  larger  fellowship  bodies  are 
so  extensive  that  Congregationalism  as  a  whole  has  perforce 
become  a  representative  democracy.  ,  But  nowhere  does  the 
system  admit  authority  of  a  higher  body  over  a  lower,  a  right 
to  legislate,  enforce  measures  and  coerce  to  action.  Each 
Congregational  organization — local  church,  district  association, 
state  conference.  National  Council — is  free  and  sovereign  in  its 
own  distinct  sphere.  And  all  union  of  the  lower  bodies  to 
form  a  higher,  and  all  cooperation  in  the  larger  forms  of  work, 
are  voluntary  and  unconstrained.  Yet  is  the  centripetal  force 
real  and  unifying.  Congregational  fellowship  is  substantial 
and  inspiriting.  And  this  is  the  day  of  its  enlargement.  The 
Congregational  aim  now  is,  given  personal  freedom  and  local 
independence  securely  established,  .to  develop  the  most  in- 
clusive, inspiring  and  productive  fellowship. 

Congregationalists  have  always  believed  their  simple  forms 
to  be  nearer  than  those  of  any  other  polity  to  the  church  life 
of  the  New  Testament.  They  find  in  the  teachings  and  ex- 
amples of  Scripture  not  a  prescribed  and  exclusive  scheme  of 
organization,  but  large  principles  whose  complete  expression 
produces  this  thoroughly  democratic  polity.  Those  principles 
must  not  be  abandoned,  but  their  embodiment  is  subject  to  such 
modifications  as  shall  keep  it  adjusted  to  changing  conditions. 
Thus  Congregationalists  hold  their  polity  to  be  a  thing  of 
growth.  Other  polities  they  esteem  as  effective  modes  of  organ- 
izing true  Christian  churches,  while  believing  that  in  religion, 
as  in  the  state,  the  promise  of  the  future  remains  with  the  freest 
and  simplest  forms.  Holding  a  position  so  broadly  fraternal, 
as  their  history  proves,  they  readily  cooperate  in  a  spirit  of 
mutual  respect  and  good-will  with  churches  of  other  denomina* 


THE  CONGEEGATIONAL  CHURCHES        49 

tions  and  other  polities,  and  they  join  eagerly  in  all  movements 
towards  illustrating  on  wider  fields  the  essential  unity  of  all 
followers  of  Christ. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

The  best  popular  descriptive  volume  is  "  Congregationalists  in 
America,"  by  Dr.  Dunning. 

This  may  be  supplemented  by  "  Congregadonal  Administra- 
tion," by  C.  S.  Nash. 


VI 

The  Disciples  of  Christ 

LITTLE  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago  a  movement 
arose  in  the  Presbyterian  household  out  of  a  desire 
for  freedom  in  the  practice  of  catholicity  of  religion. 
It  sought  for  the  union  of  all  Christians  upon  the  personaHty 
of  Jesus  Christ.  It  discarded  all  denominational  names  and 
human  creeds,  taking  the  name  *' Christian  "  or  ''Disciple  of 
Christ,"  and  having  no  book  of  authority  save  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. Its  leader  in  Kentucky  was  Barton  W.  Stone,  and  its 
leaders  in  Pennsylvania  were  Thomas  Campbell  and  his  son 
Alexander. 

The  times,  however,  appeared  not  to  be  ripe  for  such  a 
movement  and  these  men  and  others  were  thrust  out  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  Stone  and  those  associated  with  him 
maintained  an  independent  course,  not  affiliating  themselves 
with  any  other  communion,  but  the  Campbells  and  those  asso- 
ciated with  them,  fearing  that  they  might  become  the  nucleus 
for  another  communion,  sought  affiliation  with  the  Baptists,  and 
after  nearly  twenty  years  of  uncertain  fellowship  with  that  com- 
munion, they  were  again  thrust  out.  They  faced  the  inevitable 
necessity  of  becoming  a  separate  communion,  against  which 
they  protested.  The  movement  under  the  Campbells  and  that 
under  Stone,  being  similar  in  their  aims,  consolidated.  Most 
of  Stone's  associates  followed  his  leadership  into  the  union,  so 
that  Kentucky  at  once  became  the  stronghold  of  this  union 
movement,  as  well  as  Ohio,  where  Walter  Scott,  a  Scotch 
Presbyterian,  had  become  associated  with  the  Campbells  and 
was  an  evangelist  of  great  power,  with  crowds  attending  his 
ministry. 

50 


THE  DISCIPLES  OF  CHEIST  51 

In  1809  Thomas  Campbell  issued  a  lengthy  document  en- 
titled '^  Declaration  and  Address,"  which  was  addressed  ''  To 
all  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  throughout 
all  the  Churches."  In  this  he  affirmed,  "That  the  Church 
of  Christ  upon  earth  is  essentially,  intentionally  and  constitu. 
tionally  one ;  consisting  of  all  those  in  every  place  that  profess 
their  faith  in  Christ  and  obedience  to  Him  in  all  things  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures,  and  that  manifest  the  same  by  their 
tempers  and  conduct  and  of  none  else,  as  none  else  can  be 
truly  and  properly  called  Christian."  It  was  an  earnest  and 
gentle  appeal  for  the  union  of  all  Christians  and  proved  an 
epoch-making  document  in  the  annals  of  Christian  union. 
From  him  came  the  familiar  slogan  "  Where  the  Scriptures 
speak,  we  speak ;  where  the  Scriptures  are  silent,  we  are 
silent."  On  the  passage  of  the  decree  of  the  Dover  Baptist 
Association  of  Virginia  in  1832,  which  marks  the  separation  of 
the  Disciples  from  the  Baptists,  the  history  of  this  movement 
for  peace  in  the  Church  may  be  said  to  have  its  beginning  of  a 
separate  existence.  In  1835  a  union  was  effected  with  those 
Christians  under  Stone  and  for  the  next  few  decades  the  mes- 
sage for  the  union  of  the  Church  as  presented  by  these  leaders 
swept  with  phenomenal  power  throughout  the  country,  es- 
pecially in  the  western  states,  where  great  meetings  were  held 
and  thousands  identified  themselves  with  this  simple  faith. 

Agreeing  with  evangelical  Christians  on  the  great  funda- 
mentals of  our  common  faith,  they  sought  a  basis  for  union  by 
eliminating  those  things  as  tests  of  fellowship  about  which  we 
differ  and  by  uniting  on  those  things  on  which  there  is  a 
universal  agreement.  So  their  message  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  formation  of  a  new  creed,  even  if  the  new  movement  did 
develop  into  a  new  communion  against  their  wishes.  They 
sought  to  embrace  the  great  catholic  principles  upon  which  all 
Christendom  was  agreed.  They  believed  that  conformity  to 
those  principles  would  lead  believers  out  of  the  confusion  of 
denominationalism  into  the  peace  of  a  united  Christendom. 


52       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  catholicity  of  their  message  may  be  summed  up  under 
five  heads  : 

( i)  The  catholic  name.  They  recognized  Christians  among 
Presbyterians,  Baptists,  Methodists,  Episcopalians,  Lutherans 
and  all  others  who  confess  Jesus  as  Lord  and  Saviour,  but  these 
names  were  divisive  and  perpetuated  division,  which  appeared 
to  be  in  opposition  to  the  prayer  of  Jesus  and  the  teach- 
ings of  the  New  Testament  writers.  Even  the  name  Roman 
Catholic  was  not  catholic,  for  the  term  ''Roman"  destroyed 
its  catholicity  and  made  it  provincial ;  neither  was  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church  a  proper  designation,  *'  catholic"  not  being  a 
noun  but  primarily  an  adjective.  The  Scriptures  furnish  the 
only  catholic  names  for  believers,  and  these  are,  for  the  indi- 
viduals, "Christians,"  **  Disciples,"  "  Disciples  of  Christ," 
''Friends,"  etc.,  and  for  the  organization,  "  Churches  of 
Christ,"  "Church  of  God,"  "the  Church,"  "Christian 
Church,"  etc.  So  to  the  Disciples  there  were  no  other  names 
to  wear  but  the  catholic  names  of  the  Scriptures,  which  all  be- 
lievers and  Churches  used  in  a  secondary  sense.  The  Dis- 
ciples sought  to  make  their  use  primary  and  so  they  have  worn 
no  other  names  and  have  urged  other  believers  to  do  likewise. 

(2)  The  catholic  creed.  All  the  communions  had  separate 
creeds.  The  Presbyterians  had  their  Westminster  Confession 
of  Faith ;  the  Episcopalians  had  their  Thirty-nine  Articles ;  the 
Methodists  had  their  Articles  of  Religion  and  Discipline ;  the 
Baptists  had  their  Philadelphia  Confession  of  Faith,  etc.  It 
was  not  a  question  whether  these  creeds  taught  truth  or  error. 
They  were  master  productions  and  registered  thought,  but  they 
were  divisive  and  not  catholic.  Presbyterians  would  not  ac- 
cept the  Thirty-nine  Articles,  nor  would  the  Baptists  accept  the 
Methodist  Discipline.  For  the  Disciples  to  have  sought  to  in- 
troduce a  compromise  creed  would  have  been  the  height  of  folly. 
They  were  seeking  for  a  union  basis  on  catholic  principles.  So 
they  went  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  Church,  when  the  simple 
creed  was  the  confession  of  the  Messiahship  and  Lordship  of 


THE  DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST  53 

Jesus  and  the  commitment  of  their  lives  in  obedience  to  Him. 
To  those  expressing  a  desire  to  follow  Christ  they  did  not  ask 
so  much  what  they  believed  as  whom  they  believed.  Conse- 
quently every  person  deciding  for  Christ  was  asked  to  affirm 
publicly  his  belief  in  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God,  implying  their  commitment  to  Him  as  Lord  and 
Saviour.  This  was  catholic  ground,  for  all  believers  accepted 
the  fact  of  Christ.  So  the  Disciples  gave  their  allegiance  to  the 
simple  creed  that  expressed  faith  in  and  obedience  to  the  per- 
sonality of  Jesus  Christ  and  they  sought  to  have  all  believers 
do  the  same. 

(3)  The  catholic  book.  Every  communion  accepted  the 
Scriptures  as  containing  the  Word  of  God.  Upon  this  there 
was  no  dissent,  but  the  various  communions  had  their  systems 
of  theology  as  tests  of  fellowship  and  these  were  divisive  and 
destructive  to  the  peace  of  the  Church.  These  systems  of 
theology  could  be  made  schools  of  thought  and  against  this  the 
Disciples  made  no  dissent,  but  to  make  them  tests  of  fellowship 
was  provincial  and  opposed  to  catholicity.  Since  all  agreed 
upon  the  Scriptures,  why  could  not  the  Scriptures  alone  be 
sufficient?  They  appeared  to  have  been  largely  so  for  the 
early  Church.  Why  should  they  not  be  for  the  Church  in 
modern  times  ?  Besides,  the  distinctive  message  of  Protestant- 
ism was  justification  by  faith,  sole  authority  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  the  right  of  private  interpretation.  The  Disciples,  believ- 
ing heartily  in  these  principles,  pushed  them  to  their  ultimate 
conclusion  and  consequently  beyond  Protestant  creeds  and 
systems  of  theology,  claiming  the  Scriptures  to  be  sufficient  for 
the  rule  of  Christian  life,  which  was  expressed  in  the  phrase  of 
Chilling  worth  :  ''  The  Bible  and  the  Bible  only  is  the  religion 
of  Protestants."  Again  they  were  on  catholic  ground,  and 
taking  the  Scriptures  as  their  only  book  of  authority  they  sought 
to  persuade  others  to  take  this  catholic  book  as  their  sole 

authority. 

(4)  The  catholic  mode  of  baptism.     The  Campbells,  Stone 


54       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

and  others  in  the  early  history  of  the  Disciples  were  pedo- 
baptists,  but  they  had  committed  themselves  to  a  catholic 
policy  for  the  union  of  the  Church.  They  had  a  hard  struggle 
on  the  baptismal  question,  for  all  their  training  was  in  the 
principles  of  pedobaptism.  But  finally  seeing  no  other  course 
for  peace  in  the  Church  than  to  take  that  mode  of  baptism 
which  is  recognized  by  all  Christians,  they  were  rebaptized 
by  immersion  and  forthwith  urged  all  believers  who  sought  for 
Christian  union  to  adopt  this  mode  of  baptism. 

(5)  The  catholic  brotherhood.  Thomas  Campbell  had 
affirmed,  "  That  division  among  Christians  is  a  horrid  evil. 
It  is  anti-Christian,  as  it  destroys  the  visible  unity  of  the  body 
of  Christ  as  if  He  were  divided  against  Himself,  excluding  and 
excommunicating  a  part  of  Himself.  It  is  anti-Scriptural  as 
being  strictly  prohibited  by  His  sovereign  authority  and  as  a 
direct  violation  of  His  express  command.  It  is  anti-natural  as 
it  excites  Christians  to  condemn,  hate  and  to  oppose  one  another 
who  are  bound  by  the  highest  and  most  endearing  obligations 
to  love  each  other  as  brethren,  even  as  Christ  has  loved  them." 
With  this  conception  they  sought  for  wider  fellowship  than  any 
communion  allowed,  although  sometimes  they  faltered  here, 
but  the  ideal  ever  remained  in  the  minds  of  the  leaders.  Jesus 
had  said,  "  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  My  disciples, 
if  ye  have  love  one  to  another."  To  love  the  brotherhood  and 
that  brotherhood  to  be  confined  to  the  members  of  one  com- 
munion, was  opposed  to  the  principles  of  Christ,  but  the 
brotherhood  includes  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
sincerity  and  obey  His  commandments.  It  was-  a  catholic 
fellowship  that  had  in  it  the  prophecy  of  the  union  of  the 
divided  House  of  Christ  and  bore  fraternal  greetings  to  all 
Christians. 

With  this  message  of  evangelical  catholicity  and  Christian 
fraternity  they  pleaded  for  Christian  union  and  advanced  with 
this  as  the  chief  ensign  upon  their  banners.  They  felt  that 
these  things  must  be  said.     There  could  be  no  other  apology 


THE  DISCIPLES  OF  CHEIST  55 

for  their  separate  existence.  While  these  utterances  are  now 
being  made  by  many  in  the  various  communions,  however,  in 
those  days  no  communion  would  tolerate  their  proclamation. 
The  Disciples  were  not  slow  in  proclaiming  the  message  of 
primitive  Christianity  as  it  appeared  to  them,  and  herein  lies 
much  of  the  secret  of  their  rapid  growth.  They  saw  that  the 
peace  of  the  Church  was  necessary  to  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prayer  of  Jesus  when  He  said :  ''I  pray  .  .  .  that  they 
all  may  be  one  ;  as  Thou,  Father,  art  in  Me,  and  I  in  Thee,  that 
they  also  may  be  one  in  us ;  that  the  world  may  believe  that 
Thou  hast  sent  Me."  With  little  more  than  eighty  years'  history 
as  a  separate  people,  they  number  alone  in  the  United  States 
1,500,000,  with  churches  also  in  Canada,  Australia,  England, 
Scotland,  Norway,  Sweden,  Denmark  and  Russia.  Their  mis- 
sion stations  are  in  China,  Japan,  India,  Korea,  Tibet,  Turkey, 
Africa,  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Mexico,  South  America  and  the 
Philippines.  They  have  something  less  than  forty  colleges 
scattered  over  the  United  States,  Bethany  College,  W.  Va., 
which  was  founded  by  Alexander  Campbell,  being  the  first 
college  in  the  world  that  made  the  Bible  a  text-book  like  any 
other  book  in  a  college  curriculum. 

Their  national  convention,  which  meets  annually,  is  known 
as  the  "General  Convention  of  Churches  of  Christ,"  and  in 
all  the  states  of  the  Union  their  churches  are  organized  into 
annual  conventions,  known  usually  as  the  state  conventions  of 
Churches  of  Christ  and  sometimes  as  the  state  convention  of 
the  Christian  Church.  The  government  of  their  churches  is 
congregational,  their  officers  being  ministers,  elders,  deacons 
and  trustees. 

Many  of  their  men  have  been  first  in  the  annals  of  American 
history  and  English  history  as  well,  and  have  made  valuable  con- 
tributions to  the  political  and  educational  life  of  their  nations. 
With  the  Disciples  the  union  of  the  Church  and  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  world  are  inseparably  connected.  It  is  a  matter 
with  them  of  great  rejoicing  that  the  whole  Church  is  begin- 


56       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

ning  to  see  that  the  union  of  Christians  is  as  much  in  the  pro- 
gramme of  Christ  as  His  death  on  the  cross  and  His  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead.  It  must  come  as  sure  as  the  tides  ebb  and 
flow.  It  devolves  upon  every  believer  so  to  cultivate  peace  in 
the  Household  of  God  that  his  life  shall  be  a  faint  echo  of  the 
life  of  our  Lord,  whose  we  are  and  whom  we  serve. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"The   Story  of  a  Century,"  by  J.  H.  Garrison.     Christian 
Board  of  Publication,      St.  Louis. 

"  History  of  the  Disciples  of  Christ,"   by  W.  T.   Moore. 

Revell. 

"  Historical  Documents  Advocating  Christian  Union,"  by  C. 
A.  Young.      Christian  Century,  Chicago. 

"  The    Life    of  Alexander  Campbell,"  by  T.  W.  Grafton. 
Chrisdan  Board  of  Publication,  St.  Louis. 

"  Alexander    Campbell    as    a    Preacher,"    by    A.    McLean. 

Revell. 

"The  Message  of  the  Disciples  for  the  Union  of  the  Church," 
by  Peter  Ainslie.     Revell. 


VII 

The  Christian  Church 

FROM  three  schismatic  movements  came  the  founders 
of  the  Christian  denomination  in  America.  James 
O' Kelly  and  thirty  ministers  of  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina  withdrew  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Conference 
held  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  1792,  when  ministers  were  refused 
the  right  of  appeal  to  conference,  and  the  following  year  or- 
ganized the  "  Republican  Methodist  Church."  A  year  later, 
in  Surrey  County,  Va.,  they  changed  their  Church's  name  to 
"The  Christian  Church,"  dispensed  with  all  statements  of 
doctrine  except  the  Scriptures,  and  modelled  their  church  or- 
ganization after  the  pattern  they  found  in  the  New  Testament. 
Several  thousand  persons  seceded  from  the  Methodist  Cliurch 
within  two  or  three  years  and  joined  the  new  movement. 

About  the  same  time  Dr.  Abner  Jones  and  Elias  Smith,  of 
Vermont,  were  undergoing  mental  tortures  on  account  of  Cal- 
vinist  Baptist  doctrines  and  unscriptural  church  organizations, 
and  finally  broke  with  the  Baptists,  Jones  about  1792,  and 
Smith  about  1803.  Dr.  Jones  organized  *'  Christian  Churches  " 
in  Lyndon,  Vt.,  in  1801,  and  Hanover  and  Piermont,  N.  H., 
in  1802.  Smith  formed  his  first  "Christian  Church"  at 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  in  1803.  These  men  had  no  appreciable 
following  of  seceders,  as  O' Kelly  had,  but  gathered  ministers 
and  churches  by  revival  efforts. 

In  southwestern  Kentucky  a  remarkable  revival  broke  out 
in  1 801  under  the  labors  of  James  McGready  and  other  Presby- 
terian preachers.  Among  visitors  who  were  greatly  impressed 
was  Barton  W.  Stone,  who  carried  the  flame  back  to  his  Cane 

57 


58       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Ridge  congregation  and  soon  witnessed  there  the  greatest 
revival  of  them  all.  Many  were  converted.  This  and  subse- 
quent revivals  resulted  in  irregular  church  proceedings  and 
irregular  preachers  of  then  heretical  doctrines  among  the  Pres- 
byterians. A  test  case  was  instituted  in  the  Washington  Presby- 
tery against  Richard  McNemar,  the  apparent  failure  of  which 
aroused  the  Kentucky  Synod  to  take  a  hand ;  and  when  the 
case  was  evidently  going  against  McNemar,  he  and  several 
others  withdrew  from  the  presbytery  and  formed  the  new 
Springfield  Presbytery.  Barton  W.  Stone  at  once  became 
leader  of  the  group,  whose  pulpits  had  been  declared  vacant 
by  the  Presbyterians.  The  new  Springfield  Presbytery  was 
dissolved  in  1804,  and  by  Rice  Haggard's  influence  the  name 
**  Christian  Church  "  was  adopted,  together  with  the  freedom 
the  new  denomination  in  Virginia  had  espoused.  Hundreds 
deserted  the  Presbyterians  and  followed  their  pastors  into  the 
new  organization. 

When  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty ,  started  by  Elias  Smith 
in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  September,  1808,  reached  the  South  and 
West,  informing  the  Christians  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky  that 
a  similar  body  existed  in  New  England,  correspondence  opened 
up  the  way  for  union  at  once,  and  the  three  bodies  coalesced, 
still  calling  themselves  <*the  Christians,"  or  the  "Christian 
Church,"  which  has  been  the  name  ever  since. 

While,  therefore,  the  initial  movement  was  due  to  secession 
from  Methodists,  Baptists  and  Presbyterians,  during  all  the 
subsequent  years  the  denomination  has  been  built  up  chiefly 
by  the  legitimate  fruits  of  revivals.  Indeed,  the  Christian 
denomination  for  fifty  years  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
revival  movements  the  country  has  ever  known. 

In  propagating  the  cause  the  men  named  above,  and  many 
others  quite  as  deserving  of  mention,  began  to  urge  that  ordinary 
denominational  names  were  divisive,  and  that  the  dropping  of 
all  such  names  and  assumption  of  '*  Christian  Church  "  as  the 
only  and  sufficient  title  would  greatly  promote  harmony  and 


THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH  59 

unity  among  all  followers  of  Christ.  Furthermore,  those  men 
conceived  it  their  God -given  mission  to  work  for  harmony  and 
unity,  and  for  more  than  one  hundred  years  the  Christian 
denomination  has  consistently  practiced  that  tenet  by  fellow- 
shipping  all  Christians,  and  advocating  unity  with  more  or  less 
unanimity. 

Again,  our  fathers  conceived  that  creeds  and  articles  of  faith 
tended  to  divide,  while  simple  adherence  to  the  Scriptures 
would  greatly  tend  to  unify.  Hence  they  have  been  guided 
solely  by  the  Scriptures  in  belief  and  polity,  allowing  all  to 
read  and  interpret  for  themselves.  They  have  been  loyal  to 
God,  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  Bible. 

In  Kentucky  '*  union  "  became  a  great  slogan  among  the 
Christians,  and  Barton  W.  Stone  was  the  foremost  apostle  of 
that  doctrine ;  but  the  same  cry  echoed  throughout  the  denom- 
ination, and  has  appeared  in  all  its  literature.  Stone  insisted 
on  the  name  "Christian,"  but  encouraged  actual  union.  For 
example,  largely  by  his  influence,  the  Disciples  of  Christ  and 
the  Christians  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  united  in  1832,  having 
agreed  to  lay  aside  all  differences  and  meet  on  common 
ground.  When  Stone  removed  to  Jacksonville,  111.,  about 
1834,  he  would  join  neither  the  Christians  nor  Disciples  of 
Christ  until  they  united  and  became  simply  ''  Christians."  In 
his  paper.  The  Christian  Messe^iger,  from  18 26-1 844,  he  per- 
sistently preached  union.  By  this  man's  influence  the  Disciples 
of  Christ  through  the  West  call  themselves  "  Christians  "  and 
the  ''Christian  Church,"  and  much  confusion  of  the  two 
denominations  has  resulted. 

Since  1808  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty  has  advocated 
unity.  A  very  ably  conducted  journal  called  The  Christian 
Palladium,  published  in  New  York  State  from  1 832-1 862, 
preached  unity  and  union,  but  not  merging  of  denominations. 
The  Christian  Sun,  published  in  Virginia  and  North  Carolina 
from  1844  to  the  present,  has  maintained  a  position  similar  to 
that  of  the  Palladium.     Probably  these  and  other  periodicals 


60       OHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

of  the  Christians  have  borne  an  honorable  part  in  bringing  in 
the  day  of  Christian  fraternity. 

At  first  the  Christians  cherished  a  vain  hope  that  their  cause 
would  find  ready  response  from  people  of  other  denominations ; 
hence  they  tried  to  live  in  fellowship  with  other  people,  and 
long  neglected  the  institutional  side  of  Christianity — organizing 
churches  and  Sunday-schools,  erecting  church  buildings,  found- 
ing schools  and  colleges  and  publishing  plants,  and  so  on. 
But  being  shut  out  of  fellowship,  and  yet  determined  to  propa- 
gate their  principles,  they  had  to  organize  and  build. 

They  held  countless  revivals,  and  some  of  their  ministers  saw 
thousands  converted,  but  so  neglectful  were  they  of  gathering 
fruits  of  the  labors  that  probably  three-fourths  of  the  converts 
joined  other  churches.  They  regarded  the  ushering  in  of  a  day 
when  all  Christians  would  fellowship  each  other  as  of  much 
greater  importance  than  building  up  a  great  denomination. 

The  organization  of  ministers  and  churches  into  conferences 
began  in  1804  in  Kentucky,  and  continued  rapidly  for  seventy- 
five  years.  Very  jealously  did  our  fathers  guard  against  any- 
thing that  would  render  conferences  instruments  of  tyranny  or 
oppression.  Records  were  sometimes  destroyed  lest  they  be 
distorted  into  creeds.  Not  less  apprehensive  were  they  about 
the  United  States  Christian  Conference,  dating  back  to  Wind- 
ham, Conn.,  1820,  reorganized  in  1832  as  the  Christian 
General  Convention,  and  since  1858  called  American  Chris- 
tian Convention,  meeting  quadrennially  to  plan  and  advise 
about  the  denomination's  general  enterprises.  Just  as  soon  as 
this  convention  was  delegated  a  modest  amount  of  authority, 
denominational  coherence  and  effectiveness  increased. 

Again,  when  the  Christians  came  to  send  their  sons  and  daugh- 
ters to  fitting  schools  and  academies,  they  had  the  alternative 
of  patronizing  what  they  deemed  sectarian  denominational 
schools,  or  of  establishing  their  own  schools.  With  them  it 
was  not  a  mere  question  of  avoiding  sectarian  teaching  and 
bias,   but   of  maintaining  a   broad  Christian  fellowship.     A 


THE  CHEISTIAN  CHUECH  61 

multitude  of  academies  sprang  up,  of  which  four  typical  ones 
may  be  named  :  the  New  England  Christian  Literary  Institute, 
first  located  at  Andover,  N.  H.,  in  1857,  later  removed  and 
finally  brought  back,  now  called  Proctor  Academy  and  owned 
by  the  Unitarians;  Starkey  Seminary,  founded  in  1840,  and 
still  in  existence  at  Lakemont,  N.  Y. ;  a  private  school  by  Rev. 
J.  R.  Holt  in  Alamance  County,  N.  C,  which  later  became 
Graham  Institute,  then  Graham  College,  and  finally  gave  way 
to  Elon  College  in  1889;  Le  Grand  Christian  Institute,  in 
Iowa,  founded  in  1865,  now  Palmer  College,  Albany,  Mo. 

When  the  Christians  planted  their  first  college,  Antioch, 
at  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio,  in  185 1,  under  the  presidency  of 
Hon.  Horace  Mann,  the  question  of  sectarianism  and  broad 
fellowship  was  up.  Proposals  to  connect  a  theological  school 
with  it  were  bitterly  opposed  by  some  for  fear  that  the  denomi- 
nation's ministry  might  become  narrow  and  sectarian,  although 
how  that  could  happen  one  can  hardly  guess  now.  The  ne- 
cessity of  an  educated  ministry  overcame  all  opposition,  and 
finally  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute  was  chartered  in  1868, 
endowed  and  located  at  Eddytown  (now  Lakemont),  N.  Y., 
then  removed  to  Stanfordville,  N.  Y.,  and  finally  to  Defiance, 
Ohio,  in  1907.  It  was  purposely  named  "Biblical  Institute," 
for  dogmatic  theology  and  kindred  studies  were  to  be  elimi- 
nated, and  thorough  Biblical  study  was  to  take  their  place. 
Dogmatics  seemed  to  be  connected  with  creeds  and  to  bias  in- 
terpretation of  Scripture ;  but  the  curriculum  mapped  out  by 
President  Austin  Craig,  D.  D.,  a  man  of  remarkable  and  recog- 
nized scholarship,  was  calculated  to  induct  students  into  pro- 
found Biblical  lore  without  dogmatic  squint. 

During  all  these  years  the  union  idea  has  been  perennially 
fresh  and  vigorous.  Sometimes  it  was  called  ''unity,"  some- 
times "Christian  union  "  to  emphasize  the  spiritual  side  of  it, 
sometimes  "organic  union"  when  the  actual  merging  of  de- 
nominations was  under  discussion. 

From  1818  to  1887  there  was  more  or  less  courtship  between 


62       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

the  Free  Baptists  and  Christians  in  New  England  and  New 
York.  Actual  proposals  were  made  and  brought  before  the 
general  conference  or  convention  of  both  bodies,  but  it  all 
proved  nugatory  in  the  end. 

Union  between  the  Disciples  of  Christ  and  the  Christians 
has  been  agitated  somewhat  since  the  famous  Kentucky 
**  union,"  although  that  event  cost  the  Christians  more  than 
eight  thousand  members.  In  New  York  a  conference  was 
held  in  1874  when  definite  terms  were  agreed  upon,  but  the 
matter  dropped  there. 

Unitarians  and  Christians  cooperated  in  founding  Meadville 
Theological  School  in  1843,  the  former  furnishing  most  of  the 
cash.  Thereupon  union  talk  was  indulged  in  in  Illinois,  Wis- 
consin and  Pennsylvania,  and  President  Stebbins  of  Meadville 
even  became  president  of  the  American  Christian  Convention. 
Loss  of  Antioch  fully  dissolved  relations  between  the  two  de- 
nominations. 

Subsequent  to  1869  the  Christians  and  the  Christian  Union 
brethren  projected  and  consummated  union  in  Iowa  and  Ohio. 
In  the  former  state  the  churches  gravitated  back  to  their  re- 
spective denominations ;  but  in  the  latter  there  are  still  minis- 
ters and  people  among  the  Christians  who  came  from  the 
Christian  Union. 

Actual  merging  of  the  Christians  and  Congregationalists  was 
bruited  in  Michigan  back  of  1880.  It  actually  fell  out  in  the 
course  of  years  that  some  churches  exchanged  denominations, 
but  there  was  no  union.  A  similar  agitation  was  started  in 
New  England  in  1893,  ^^^  g^^  before  the  American  Christian 
Convention  in  1894,  but  nothing  came  of  it. 

And  lastly  the  Christians  shared  in  the  four-denomination 
conference  on  union  held  in  Pittsburgh  in  1903.  Again  the 
results  were  better  acquaintance,  but  failure  to  accomplish  the 
thing  desired. 

The  Christian  denomination  has  grown  slowly  for  reasons 
already  indicated.     By  the  year  i860  it  had  churches  and 


THE  CHEISTIAN  CHURCH  63 

conferences  in  Ontario  and  New  Brunswick,  in  nearly  every 
state  east  of  the  Mississippi,  in  Iowa,  Missouri  and  Texas. 
Since  then  it  has  extended  into  Kansas,  Nebraska  and  Wash- 
ington, and  has  scattered  churches  elsewhere.  It  was  esti- 
mated to  have  67,000  members  in  1874.  The  United  States 
census  of  1906  credited  the  Christians  with  1,149  Sunday- 
schools,  1,379  churches,  and  110,117  church  members.  On 
this  basis  they  ranked  sixteenth  among  the  denominations  of 
the  country.  The  above  figure  did  not  include  1,110  mem- 
bers in  Canada,  for  since  1820  the  denomination  has  been 
international.  There  are  now  seventy-one  active  conferences. 
The  church  membership  reported  in  1914  was  113,887. 

This  denomination  has  made  marked  advancement  educa- 
tionally in  recent  years,  and  to-day  has  two  institutions  of 
academy  grade,  one  theological  school,  and  five  colleges.  All 
but  two  of  these  schools  have  new  buildings  and  equipment, 
and  promise  of  great  future  usefulness. 

Our  people  have  been  interested  in  all  great  reforms.  They 
were  divided  over  slavery,  but  united  again  in  recent  years. 
They  have  always  been  actively  opposed  to  the  liquor  traffic. 
They  opened  Antioch  College  to  men  and  women,  white  and 
colored  alike.  They  were  the  first  in  modern  times  to  ordain 
a  woman  to  the  Christian  ministry,  and  may  now  be  forgiven 
if  they  generally  favor  woman  suffrage.  Their  organized 
missionary  work  did  not  begin  until  about  1872,  and  is  still 
in  its  infancy. 

No  people  rejoice  more  than  the  Christians  in  the  broad 
Christian  fellowship  exhibited  by  most  denominations  to-day, 
and  none  are  freer  in  extending  fellowship.  Until  recently 
their  denominational  machinery  has  not  been  sufficient  to  en- 
able them  to  share  adequately  in  the  great  interdenominational 
movements  characteristic  of  the  present  generation  ;  but  per- 
fected organization  is  now  giving  them  a  fitting  representation 
in  nation-wide  religious  and  social  enterprises.  A  large  publish- 
ing house,  with  denominational  headquarters,  has  been  estab- 


64       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

lished  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  where  a  general  publishing  business  is 
conducted. 

But  recent  development  has  not  obscured  the  early  purpose 
of  the  denomination  to  help  bring  all  the  followers  of  Christ 
into  harmony,  fellowship  and  cooperation,  both  by  precept  and 
example. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  A  History  of  the  Christian  Denomination  in  America,"  by 
Milo  True  Morrill,  M.A.,  D.D.,  Secretary  for  Foreign 
Missions.  The  Christian  Publishing  Association,  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  191 2. 


VIII 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

Origin  and  History 

THE  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America  is  the 
outgrowth  of  the  evangelical  revival  of  the  eight- 
eenth century  in  England.  In  the  year  1739  eight 
or  ten  persons  deeply  concerned  about  their  own  spiritual  wel- 
fare came  to  John  Wesley  in  London.  A  weekly  meeting  was 
the  result,  at  which  Mr.  Wesley  conferred  and  prayed  with 
these  and  with  many  others  who  joined  them.  This  was  the 
rise  of  the  United  Society,  first  in  Europe  and  then  in  America. 
Their  own  expression  of  their  Society  was,  "  A  company  of 
men  having  a  form  and  seeking  the  power  of  godliness,  united 
in  order  to  pray  together,  to  receive  the  word  of  exhortation 
and  to  watch  over  one  another  in  love,  that  they  may  help 
each  other  to  work  out  their  own  salvation."  Societies  like 
this  spread  throughout  England  and  Scotland  and  Ireland, 
and  subsequently  became  the  Wesleyan  Churches  of  Great 
Britain. 

The  brothers  John  and  Charles  Wesley  were  graduates  of 
Oxford  University  and  presbyters  of  the  Church  of  England. 
Their  original  purpose  was  to  promote  a  movement  for  per- 
sonal godliness  within  the  Church  of  England,  and  such  it 
was  at  the  beginning.  The  time  was  ripe  and  the  soil  of 
Great  Britain  was  ready  for  this  evangelical  movement. 
Other  ministers  and  many  lay  preachers  came  to  the  aid  of 
the  Wesleys. 

In  the  year  1766  Philip  Embury,  Wesleyan  local  preacher 
from  Ireland,  began  preaching  in  New  York  City  and  formed 

65 


66       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

a  society  of  Methodists,  which  is  now  the  John  Street  Church. 
Another  local  preacher,  Thomas  Webb,  a  captain  in  the  British 
Army,  soon  joined  him  and  also  preached  in  the  city  and 
vicinity  of  New  York.  About  the  same  time  Robert  Straw- 
bridge  from  Ireland  settled  in  Maryland  and  preached  and 
formed  societies  in  Frederick  County.  In  1769  John  Wesley 
sent  to  America  two  itinerant  preachers,  Richard  Boardman 
and  Joseph  Pilmoor;  and  in  1771  two  others,  Francis  Asbury 
and  Richard  Wright.  Their  labors  were  signally  successful, 
so  that  by  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  the  number  of 
travelling  preachers  was  about  eighty,  and  of  members  in  the 
societies  about  fifteen  thousand.  Most  of  these  American 
Methodists  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  but 
there  was  alienation  from  the  mother  country  in  religion  as 
well  as  in  politics.  When  the  independence  of  the  United 
States  was  acknowledged  by  the  treaty  of  1783,  the  American 
Methodists  were  unwilling  to  continue  in  the  Anglican  com- 
munion. Mr.  Wesley  approved  their  desire  to  organize  a 
church  of  their  own.  He  declared  that  these  Methodists 
*'  were  totally  disentangled  both  from  the  state  and  the  English 
hierarchy."  He  added  :  *'  They  are  now  at  full  liberty  simply 
to  follow  the  Scriptures  and  the  primitive  Church,  and  we 
judge  it  best  that  they  should  stand  fast  in  that  liberty  where- 
with God  has  so  strangely  made  them  free." 

As  his  children  in  the  Gospel,  they  appealed  to  John 
Wesley  for  advice  and  help,  and  he  responded  by  ordaining 
Richard  Whatcoat  and  Thomas  Vasey  as  presbyters  for 
America  ;  and  also  by  setting  apart  by  prayer  and  by  the  im- 
position of  hands  the  Rev.  Thomas  Coke,  Doctor  of  Civil 
Law,  a  presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England,  to  be  a  superin- 
tendent "to  preside  over  the  flock  of  Christ  in  America." 
He  also  commissioned  Dr.  Coke  to  ordain  as  joint  superin- 
tendent with  himself  the  Rev.  Francis  Asbury,  then  general 
assistant  for  the  American  Society.  Mr.  Wesley  also  pre- 
pared for  the  American  Methodists  ** Articles  of  Religion" 


THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH      67 

and   a  "  Sunday    Service,"  both   abbreviated  from  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer  of  the  Church  of  England. 

At  a  Conference  opening  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  December 
24,  1784,  sixty  preachers  met  Dr.  Coke  and  his  companions. 
The  plan  of  Mr.  Wesley  was  submitted  to  them  and  was  unan- 
imously and  heartily  approved.  They  organized  a  Method- 
ist  Episcopal  Church  and  adopted  the  Articles  of  Religion  and 
the  Sunday  Service  prepared  by  Mr.  Wesley,  adding  to  these 
Articles  one  containing  a  recognition  of  the  new  civil  govern- 
ment and  inserting  in  the  Ritual  a  prayer  for  the  supreme 
rulers  of  the  United  States.  They  also  enacted  laws  neces- 
sary for  the  government  of  the  new  church.  Francis  Asbury 
was  elected  to  the  episcopal  office  jointly  with  Dr.  Coke, 
by  whom,  with  the  assistance  of  several  presbyters,  he  was 
duly  consecrated  a  bishop.  Others  were  ordained  deacons, 
and  thirteen  were  elected  elders,  and  either  then  or  soon 
thereafter  were  duly  ordained,  two  of  them  for  missionary 
work  in  Nova  Scotia  and  one  for  like  work  in  Antigua,  in  the 
West  Indies. 

Thus  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  seen  to  be  dis- 
tinctively an  American  organization.  The  Wesleys  were 
never  connected  with  it,  but  remained  in  the  Church  of 
England  until  their  death. 

Organization  and  Work 

The  membership  has  grown  to  more  than  three  and  a  half 
millions.  More  than  twenty  thousand  preachers  are  officiating 
in  its  pulpits.  Its  church  and  parsonage  property  amounts  to 
two  hundred  and  forty  millions  of  dollars,  and  its  annual  con- 
tributions for  ministerial  support  are  more  than  seventeen  rail- 
lions  of  dollars.  There  are  more  than  thirty-six  thousand 
Sunday-schools,  with  nearly  four  hundred  thousand  officers 
and  teachers  and  four  millions  of  scholars. 

Its  publishing  house  is  known  as  The  Methodist  Book 
Concern,  with  headquarters  in  New  York  and  in  Cincinnati, 


68       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

and  branch  houses  in  Boston,  Pittsburgh,  Detroit,  Chicago, 
Kansas  City  and  San  Francisco.  Its  total  sales  amount  to 
over  ten  millions  of  dollars  annually.  Its  publications  are 
books,  magazines,  religious  weeklies  and  many  forms  of  Sun- 
day-school literature. 

The  Church  is  active  in  missionary  work.  Its  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions  dates  from  1819,  and  is  prosecuting  work 
in  Africa,  China,  Japan,  Korea,  India,  Malaysia,  South 
America,  Italy,  Mexico,  France,  the  Philippines,  Madeira, 
Bulgaria,  Russia,  Germany  and  the  Scandinavian  countries. 
It  has  something  over  twelve  hundred  missionaries  in  the 
field,  assisted  by  over  ten  thousand  native  workers.  Its  re- 
ceipts and  disbursements  amount  to  more  than  one  million  of 
dollars  annually. 

The  Board  of  Home  Missions  and  Church  Extension  is 
operating  in  the  pioneer  regions  and  in  the  cities  and  else- 
where in  the  United  States.  This  society  is  also  administer- 
ing an  income  of  more  than  a  million  dollars  annually. 

The  Board  of  Education  is  looking  after  the  interests  of  the 
various  institutions  of  learning  under  the  care  of  the  Church. 
Of  these  there  are  ninety-eight  colleges  and  universities,  with 
real  estate  and  equipment  amounting  to  about  thirty  millions 
of  dollars  and  endowment  funds  nearly  as  large.  About  forty 
thousand  students  are  in  attendance  at  these  institutions. 

The  Board  of  Sunday-schools  establishes  new  schools  in  neg- 
lected neighborhoods,  aids  needy  Sunday-schools  on  the 
frontier,  in  rural  sections  and  in  congested  city  centers,  sup- 
ports Sunday-schools  of  the  foreign  field,  and  is  responsible  for 
the  supervision  of  the  entire  Sunday-school  work  of  the  Church 
at  home  and  abroad.  It  conducts  institutes  of  religious  educa- 
tion, in  which  particular  attention  is  paid  to  the  training  of 
teachers  and  the  organization  and  development  of  existing 
schools. 

The  Freed  men's  Aid  Society  has  been  in  operation  since 
1866.     Its  work  is  the  establishing  and  maintenance  of  institu- 


THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH     69 

tions  of  learning  among  the  Negroes  of  the  South.  Its  income 
is  something  over  half  a  miUion  dollars  and  is  distributed 
among  twenty-two  institutions,  attended  by  about  seven  thou- 
sand students. 

The  Epvvorth  League  is  the  young  people's  organization  of 
the  Church.  Its  object  is  the  promotion  of  intelligent  and  vital 
piety  among  the  young  people,  training  them  in  works  of  mercy 
and  social  service  and  in  world  evangelism.  Its  work  is  con- 
ducted through  devotional  meetings,  study  classes  and  insti- 
tutes and  a  weekly  paper. 

The  Methodist  Brotherhood  is  an  association  of  men  or- 
ganized to  utilize  and  develop  the  men  of  the  Church  in  relig- 
ious and  social  service  and  to  reach  and  win  the  unchurched 
men  and  boys. 

The  Methodist  Temperance  Society  is  organized  for  aggres- 
sive temperance  work  throughout  the  country.  Its  head- 
quarters are  in  Topeka,  Kan. 

The  Deaconess  work  has  grown  rapidly  in  recent  years. 
There  are  now  eighty-one  Deaconess  Homes  in  successful 
operation,  with  sixteen  training  schools.  Over  one  thousand 
Deaconesses  are  constantly  employed  in  the  work  of  the 
Church.  Besides  these  there  are  thirty-eight  Deaconess  Homes 
in  foreign  countries.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is 
maintaining  seventeen  hospitals,  nineteen  Homes  for  the  Aged 
and  twelve  Orphanages  and  other  children's  institutions. 

In  most  of  this  work  the  women  are  actively  interested. 
Also,  the  Women's  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  with  its  head- 
quarters in  New  York,  registers  over  two  hundred  thousand 
members  and  administers  over  one  million  dollars  a  year. 
The  Women's  Home  Missionary  Society,  with  headquarters  in 
Cincinnati,  reports  one  hundred  and  thirty- seven  thousand 
members  and  administers  over  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars 
a  year. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  episcopal  in  its  govern- 
ment.    It  has  twenty-eight  bishops  who  are  general  superin- 


70       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

tendents,  and  eight  missionary  bishops  whose  superintendence 
is  restricted  to  that  particular  field  of  work.  The  churches  in 
the  United  States  are  divided  into  areas  of  episcopal  supervi- 
sion, the  resident  bishop  being  assigned  by  the  General  Con- 
ference to  his  area  for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  is  not  re- 
stricted to  this,  but  makes  it  his  special  charge. 

The  governing  body  of  the  Church  is  the  General  Confer- 
ence. It  is  composed  of  delegates  elected  once  in  four  years 
by  the  Annual  Conferences.  The  last  General  Conference 
was  held  in  Minneapolis  in  191 2.  It  was  composed  of 
eight  hundred  and  nineteen  members,  representing  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  Annual  Conferences.  These  delegates 
were  ministers  and  laymen  in  equal  numbers.  Men  and 
women  enjoy  equal  political  privileges.  The  General  Confer- 
ence exercises  legislative,  judicial  and  administrative  functions. 

The  ministers  of  the  Church  are  grouped  in  the  Annual 
Conferences,  where  each  has  his  membership  and  is  responsible 
for  his  character  and  service.  The  Annual  Conference  has  no 
legislative  authority. 

The  Judicial  Conferences  are  assembled  from  time  to  time 
to  try  appeals  from  judicial  findings  of  the  Annual  Confer- 
ences. 

The  Quarterly  Conference  is  the  official  body  of  the  local 
church.  Its  personnel  is  determined  by  law,  and  the  district 
superintendent  presides  over  it. 

Doctrines  and  Polity 

The  theology  of  Methodism  may  be  characterized  as 
Arminian.  Its  chief  opponent  has  been  Calvinism,  in  opposi- 
tion to  which  it  has  strenuously  preached  the  doctrines  of  free 
will,  free  grace  and  the  witness  of  the  Spirit.  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  has  been  distinctly  broad  in  its  theological 
attitude.  While  laying  due  emphasis  upon  the  doctrines  com- 
monly called  orthodox,  it  has  placed  the  chief  stress  from  the 
beginning  upon  Christian  character  and  Christian  service.     It 


THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH      71 

has  been  strong  in  its  defense  of  the  Protestant  principles  of  the 
right  to  read  the  Bible,  the  right  of  private  interpretation  and  of 
freedom  of  conscience,  and  its  constant  disposition  has  been  to 
allow  large  liberty  in  non-essentials.  It  has  always  been  active 
in  evangelistic  work.  It  has  promoted  revivals  and  opened  the 
door  of  hope  wide  before  the  erring.  It  is  prominent  among 
the  Churches  in  its  prosecution  of  religious  education.  Its 
Sunday-schools  are  large  and  active.  By  means  of  effective 
organization  and  grading,  with  extensive  and  carefully  edited 
lesson  literature  and  an  increasing  number  of  trained  teachers, 
it  is  seeking  to  evangelize  the  young  and  train  them  for  the 
service  of  the  Church. 

Its  relations  with  sister  Churches  are  cordial.  Through  vari- 
ous forms  of  federation,  and  cooperation  in  reforms  and  other 
Christian  work,  it  seeks  that  fellowship  which  will  not  only 
accredit  itself  to  the  Church  but  to  the  world  which  it  is  trying 
to  serve. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

The  best  informational  book  for  the  popular  reader  describing 
our  denomination  is  the  "  Methodist  Year  Book."  We 
have  other  larger  books,  but  they  speedily  become  very 
much  out  of  date.  Our  "  Year  Book  "  is  issued  at  the 
beginning  of  each  calendar  year  and  contains  a  large 
number  of  facts  concerning  the  denomination.  It  is 
published  by  the  Methodist  Book  Concern. 


IX 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South 

THE  history  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
as  an  organization  separate  and  distinct  from  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  began  in  1844,  when 
the  Church  was  divided  into  two  branches.  Up  to  that  time 
the  history  of  the  two  Churches  is  one  and  the  same,  and  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  chapter  on  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  for  numerous  important  facts  common  to  both 
branches  of  the  Church  which  need  not  be  repeated  here. 
The  beginning  of  Methodist  preaching  in  America  about  1764 
in  a  "  Log  Meeting  House"  on  Sam's  Creek,  Maryland  (about 
twenty-five  miles  from  Baltimore),  by  Rev.  Robert  Strawbridge, 
an  Irish  emigrant,  and  in  New  York  City  in  1766  by  Rev. 
Philip  Embury,^  also  an  emigrant  from  Ireland  ;  the  beginning 
of  the  ''Annual  Conferences"  of  the  preachers  in  1773;  the 
organization  of  the  Methodist  Societies  in  this  country  into  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  the  *' Christmas  Conference" 
of  1784,  when  Thomas  Coke  and  Francis  Asbury  were  elected 
and  set  apart  as  the  first  bishops  or  general  superintendents ; 
and  the  marvellous  extension  and  growth  of  the  Church  which 
followed  this  important  event  and  continued  uninterrupted  for 
sixty  years — are  facts  of  common  interest  to  all  branches  of 
American  Methodism,  which  need  only  to  be  referred  to  here 
as  the  historic  background  of  what  is  said  concerning  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  South. 

1  The  question  as  to  priority  of  the  work  of  Strawbridge  and  Embury 
is  in  dispute  and  a  commission  has  been  appointed  by  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  to  make  an  historical  investigation. — The  Editor. 

72 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH,  SOUTH   73 

Cause  of  the  Division  of  Episcopal  Methodisim 
The  three  largest  Protestant  Churches  of  this  country  (Meth- 
odist, Baptist,  and  Presbyterian)  have  long  been  divided  into 
Northern  and  Southern  branches,  and  it  is  quite  impossible  to 
understand  these  divisions  without  a  reference  to  American 
slavery ;  and  this  is  necessary  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
slavery  came  to  an  end  fifty  years  ago,  and  that  there  are  now 
many  hopeful  signs  of  a  union  of  these  divided  Churches  in  the 
not  distant  future.  Any  country  cursed  with  human  slavery  is 
doomed  to  strife,  both  civil  and  religious,  until  the  evil  is  abol- 
ished. Slavery  was  always  regarded  by  the  best  people  in  the 
South,  as  well  as  by  those  in  the  North,  as  an  evil  that  must  be 
abolished.  The  question,  the  answer  to  which  divided  the 
Church  and  the  nation,  was  how  to  abolish  it,  and  how  to  han- 
dle the  situation  while  the  public  sentiment  of  the  nation  was 
being  brought  to  the  point  of  demanding  that  the  slaves  be 
freed.  More  and  more,  leading  Methodists  in  the  North  came 
to  feel  that  the  only  way  for  the  Church  to  free  itself  from  respon- 
sibility for  this  evil  was  to  forbid  its  ministers  and  members 
from  owning  slaves  on  penalty  of  excommunication.  Southern 
Methodists  were  equally  sure  that  if  the  Church  took  this  ac- 
tion, it  would  result  in  destroying  the  influence  and  perhaps 
the  very  existence  of  the  Church  in  the  slaveholding  states, 
and  would  certainly  bring  to  a  speedy  end  the  great  work  that 
was  being  done  by  the  Methodist  Church  in  the  South  among 
both  slaveholders  and  their  slaves.  By  1844  the  differences  of 
opinion  on  this  subject  had  become  so  radical  and  so  irrecon- 
cilable that  the  General  Conference  decided  that  a  division  of 
the  Church  was  the  only  course  that  could  be  pursued  which 
would  preserve  the  peace  and  the  autonomy  of  Methodism  both 
in  the  North  and  in  the  South. 

Organization  and  Growth  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 

Church,  South 
In  pursuance  of  the  plan  of  separation  adopted  at  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  1844,  representatives  of  the  Church  chosen 


74       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

by  the  various  Annual  Conferences  located  in  the  Southern 
States  met  in  a  Convention  in  Louisville  in  May,  1845,  ^^^ 
with  great  unanimity  organized  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South.  The  first  quadrennial  General  Conference  convened  in 
Petersburg,  Va.,  in  May,  1846,  being  presided  over  by  Bishop 
Joshua  Soule  and  Bishop  James  Osgood  Andrew,  who  had  cast 
in  their  lot  with  the  Southern  Church  at  the  time  of  the  division. 
Rev.  William  Capers  and  Rev.  Robert  Paine  were  elected  to 
the  episcopacy  at  this  Conference.  This  Conference  took  all 
the  steps  necessary  to  put  the  machinery  of  the  Church  in  run- 
ning order.  About  twenty  Annual  Conferences  and  450,000 
communicants  fell  to  the  Southern  Church  under  the  plan  of 
division.  The  Church  grew  with  marvellous  rapidity  both  in 
numbers  and  in  influence  from  the  time  of  the  division  until 
the  Civil  War  (i 861-1865)  which  resulted  in  large  losses  and 
in  the  withdrawal  of  nearly  all  of  its  colored  members.  That 
it  recovered  quickly  from  the  effects  of  the  war  and  continued 
its  rapid  growth  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  within  fifty  years 
from  the  close  of  the  war  it  has  reached  a  membership  of  two 
million. 

Doctrines  of  the  Church 

Most  of  the  cardinal  doctrines  of  Methodism  are  held  in 
common  with  all  evangelical  Christian  Churches.  In  1784, 
when  Mr.  Wesley  ordained  Dr.  Thomas  Coke  and  sent  him  to 
this  country  to  organize  Methodism,  he  placed  in  his  hands  an 
abridgment  of  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of 
England.  These  abridged  Articles  of  Religion,  twenty-five  in 
number,  constitute  the  basis  of  Methodist  theology,  in  so  far  as 
it  is  in  general  agreement  with  that  of  other  Protestant  Churches. 
Mr.  Wesley's  sermons  are  regarded  as  doctrinal  standards. 
Among  the  doctrines  peculiarly  characteristic  of  Methodist  faith 
and  most  emphasized  in  Methodist  preaching  may  be  mentioned 
the  Fatherhood  of  God  as  distinct  from  the  divine  Sovereignty 
emphasized  in  Calvinistic  theology,  the  unlimited  atonement  of 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH,  SOUTH    75 

Jesus  Christ  making  possible  the  salvation  of  all  men,  the  moral 
free  agency  and  accountability  of  man  by  virtue  of  which  he 
determines  his  character  in  this  life  and  his  destiny  in  the  life 
to  come,  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit  testifying  to  the  regen- 
erate believer  of  his  acceptance  with  God,  the  possibility  of 
apostasy,  and  the  attainability  by  grace  of  entire  holiness  and 
perfect  love.  The  preaching  of  this  evangelical  type  of  theology 
with  earnestness  and  zeal  has  made  Methodism  intensely  evan- 
gelistic ;  and  no  branch  of  world-wide  Methodism  has  shown 
the  happy  results  of  the  faithful  preaching  of  these  doctrines 
more  truly  than  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South. 

Conferences 
The  most  characteristic  feature  of  the  polity  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  is  the  <' Conference."  The  work  of 
the  Church  is  done  largely  through  its  various  Conferences, 
of  which  there  are  five,  as  follows :  (i)  The  Church  Conference ^ 
composed  of  all  the  members  of  any  local  church.  (2)  The 
Quarterly  Conference,  which  meets  four  times  a  year  and  is  com- 
posed of  the  pastor  in  charge  of  the  church,  and  any  other  resi- 
dent preachers,  whether  local  or  travelling,  who  may  be  connected 
with  the  Church,  licensed  exhorters,  and  all  the  male  members 
of  the  Church  holding  an  official  position,  such  as  stewards, 
trustees,  class  leaders,  superintendents  of  Sunday-school,  etc. 
The  presiding  elder  is  ex  officio  chairman  of  the  Quarterly 
Conference.  (3)  The  District  Co?iference,  which  meets  but 
once  a  year  and  is  composed  of  all  pastors  having  charges  in 
the  district  and  of  all  preachers,  whether  travelling  or  local, 
residing  within  the  district,  and  of  certain  lay  delegates  elected 
thereto  by  each  Quarterly  Conference.  The  District  Confer- 
ences have  on  an  average  some  twenty  or  more  pastoral 
charges  in  them.  They  are  presided  over  by  a  bishop,  or,  in 
his  absence,  by  the  presiding  elder.  (4)  The  Annual  Con- 
ference meets  once  a  year,  as  the  name  indicates,  is  composed 
of  all  travelling  preachers  living  and  working  in  its  bounds  and 


76       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

of  certain  lay  delegates  elected  annually  by  the  District  Con- 
ferences, and  is  presided  over  by  a  bishop.  The  bishops  meet 
in  May  of  each  year,  and  distribute  the  Annual  Conferences 
among  themselves,  each  bishop  as  a  rule  having  from  three  to 
six  conferences  to  preside  over.  (5)  The  Getieral  Conference 
meets  quadrennially  and  is  composed  of  an  equal  number  of 
clerical  and  lay  delegates  elected  by  the  various  Annual  Con- 
ferences, the  number  of  delegates  which  each  Annual  Confer- 
ence is  entitled  to  being  determined  by  its  size.  The  General 
Conference  is  the  one  and  only  lawmaking  body  of  the  Church. 
It  is  presided  over  by  the  bishops  in  turn.  It  elects  quad- 
rennially the  general  agents,  secretaries,  editors,  etc.,  and  also 
elects,  from  time  to  time,  as  many  bishops  as  may  be  needed 
for  the  general  superintendency  of  the  Church. 

The  Itineracy 
The  second  most  characteristic  feature  of  Methodist  Church 
polity  is  its  itinerant  ministry.  Preachers  are  distinguished 
as  local  and  itinerant,  or  travelling.  When  any  one  feels 
called  to  preach  and  makes  application  to  the  District  Con- 
ference for  license,  he  is,  after  passing  a  satisfactory  exami- 
nation, granted  the  same  and  becomes  a  local  preacher.  He 
may  remain  a  local  preacher,  or  he  may  join  an  Annual  Con- 
ference and  by  so  doing  become  an  itinerant  or  travelling 
preacher.  Every  travelling  preacher  must  belong  to  an  Annual 
Conference  and  receive  his  appointment  from  the  presiding 
bishop  annually.  A  travelling  preacher  is  supposed  to  give  his 
whole  time  to  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry,  and  to  re- 
ceive his  support  from  the  Church  in  return  for  his  labor.  A 
local  preacher,  on  the  other  hand,  chooses  his  own  vocation 
and  supports  himself,  but  is  supposed  to  preach  only  so  often 
as  opportunity  offers  and  as  he  may  find  it  convenient  to  do  so. 
If  a  travelling  preacher  does  not  wish  to  take  an  appointment 
to  pastoral  or  other  ministerial  work  from  the  bishop,  he  may 
withdraw  from  the  Annual  Conference  and  return  to  the  rank 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  OHUECH,  SOUTH    77 

of  a  local  preacher  at  any  time.  A  travelling  preacher  cannot 
be  returned  to  the  same  pastoral  charge  more  than  four  suc- 
cessive years.  The  itinerant  system  gives  every  effective  travel- 
ling preacher  a  pastoral  charge  every  year,  and  supplies  every 
pastoral  charge  with  a  preacher — there  are  no  unemployed 
preachers  and  no  pastoral  charge  can  remain  long  vacant. 
Bishops  hold  office  for  life.  They  choose  their  own  places  of 
residence,  but  each  bishop  receives  from  the  college  of  bishops 
annually  the  assignment  of  Annual  Conferences  over  which  he 
is  to  preside  for  the  year. 

CONNEXIONAL   BOARDS   AND   INTERESTS 

The  general  direction  of  the  more  important  interests  of  the 
Church  is  committed  to  certain  '' Connexional  Boards,"  the 
members  and  executive  officers  of  which  are  elected  quadren- 
nially by  the  General  Conference.  The  interests  committed  to 
these  connexional  boards  are  as  follows :  (i)  Sunday-schools, 
(2)  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  (3)  Education,  (4)  Church 
Extension,  for  the  building  of  new  churches,  (5)  Young  People's 
organization  known  as  the  Ep worth  League.  (6)  The  Board 
having  charge  of  the  publishing  interests  is  known  as  the  Book 
Committee.  The  leading  publishing  house  of  the  Church  is 
located  in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  with  branch  houses  in  Dallas, 
Tex.,  and  Richmond,  Va.  It  is  the  largest  publishing  house 
in  the  Southern  States.  All  the  connexional  boards  have 
their  headquarters  in  the  publishing  house  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
except  the  Church  Extension  Board,  which  is  located  in 
Louisville,  Ky.  A  general  book  editor,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
examine  and  approve  all  the  volumes  which  may  be  issued 
by  the  publishing  house,  also  has  his  headquarters  in  Nashville. 
Every  four  years,  immediately  following  the  adjournment  of 
the  General  Conference,  a  revised  edition  of  the  official  volume 
entitled  "The  Doctrines  and  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  South,"  is  published.  The  *'  General  Minutes," 
published  annually,  contain  the  names  and  appointments  of  all 


78       CHUECHES  OF  THE  PEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

the  travelling  preachers  of  the  entire  Connexion  for  the  year ; 
also  the  latest  statistics  for  all  the  interests  of  the  Church. 
Among  the  important  and  influential  periodicals  issued  by  the 
publishing  house  maybe  mentioned  The  Methodist  Review  ^  pub- 
lished quarterly,  and  The  Christian  Advocate^  issued  weekly, 
while  each  of  the  Boards  issues  a  publication  devoted  mainly 
to  its  own  interests.  The  literature  of  the  Sunday-school  De- 
partment is  widely  circulated.  Many  of  the  Annual  Confer- 
ences, either  singly  or  jointly  with  other  Conferences,  publish  a 
weekly  religious  paper.  Most  of  the  Annual  Conferences  have 
well-equipped  colleges  both  for  men  and  for  women,  many  of 
these  among  the  best  in  the  South.  The  Church  has  two  recently 
estabhshed  connexional  universities  (Emory  and  Southwestern 
Methodist)  with  schools  of  theology,  located  respectively  at 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  Dallas,  Tex.  They  report  property  valued 
at  from  three  to  four  million  dollars  each.  There  are  success- 
ful missions  in  Mexico,  Cuba,  Brazil,  Japan,  China,  and 
Korea,  with  a  total  membership  in  all  these  fields  of  over  thirty 
thousand. 

Statistics 

The  following  statistics,  taken  mainly  from  the  published  re- 
ports for  1913-1914,  will  indicate  the  size  and  strength  of  the 
Church  in  its  various  activities ; 

Bishops,  effective 12 

Bishops,  superannuated 2 

Travelling  Preachers,  effective 7»I26 

Travelling  Preachers,  superannuated  and  supernumerary  997 

Local  Preachers 4>833 

Members  (not  preachers) *>993>253 

Total  Ministers  and  Members 2,006,209 

Annual   Conferences       50 

Presiding  Elders'  Districts 320 

Pastoral  charges 6,421 

Local  Societies  (preaching  places) 19,676 

Churches  (Houses  of  Worship) I7>040 

Value  of  Houses  of  Worship ^53*609,799 

Epworth  Leagues 3*838 

Ep worth  League  Members 133,108 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH,  SOUTH    79 

Sunday-Schools 16,650 

Sunday-School  Teachers  and  Officers 131,972 

Sunday-School  Scholars 1,497,718 

Parsonages 5»592 

Value  of  Parsonages ^11,948,700 

Raised  for  Foreign  Missions  1912-1913 ^925,000 

Raised  for  Home  Missions       "         " ^721,400 

Church  Extension  Collections    "         " JlS2i6,i28 

Paid  for  Presiding  Elders'  Salaries  1912-1913  ....  ^623,100 

Average  Presiding  Elder's  Salary  1912-1913 ^i,944 

Paid  for  Pastors'  Salaries  1912-1913 ^4,727,000 

Average  Pastor's  Salary  1912-1913 ^736 

Paid  for  Salaries  of  Bishops ^75,100 

Salary  of  a  Bishop ^4,800 

Number  of  Colleges  and  Universities 51 

Number  of  Other  Institutions  of  Learning 125 

Students  in   Church  Colleges  and  Universities           .    .  12,200 
Students  in  Institutions  Other  than  Colleges  and  Universi- 
ties      14.187 

Number  of  Teachers  in  all  Schools 1.912 

Value  of  Buildings  and  Grounds  of  all  Schools  ....  ^14,500,000 

Amount  of  Endowment  of  all  Schools $8,750,000 

Assets  of  Publishing  Houses $1,308,610 

Orphanages  (nine)  valued  at $1,000,000 

Hospitals  (six)  valued  at $4,650,000 


Organic  Union 

Now  that  slavery  has  been  a  dead  issue  for  the  past  fifty 
years,  and  the  dissensions  engendered  by  the  Civil  War  have 
had  time  to  heal,  many  are  very  naturally  asking  the  question 
why  should  not  the  two  branches  of  Episcopal  Methodism  in 
America  come  together  again.  It  may  be  said  in  reply  that  the 
cordial  interchange  of  fraternal  messages  and  messengers  that 
exists  between  the  Churches,  the  adoption  and  use  of  a  com- 
mon order  of  public  worship,  a  common  catechism  and  a  com- 
mon hymnal,  a  joint  commission  on  federation  working  to- 
gether in  the  interests  of  fraternity,  harmony,  cooperation, 
proper  division  of  territory  and  distribution  of  forces,  these  and 
other  circumstances  of  like  import  are  significant  and  indicative 
of  organic  union  in  the  early  future.  They  at  least  caused  the 
late  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South   (May,  191 4),  to  feel  justified  in  outUning  a  plan  for 


80       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

union  to  be  submitted  to  the  next  General  Conference  (1916) 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  This  overture  expresses  a 
preference  for  "  The  Methodist  Church  "  as  the  designation  of 
the  united  Church. 

The  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South,  was  the  first  of  the  constituent  bodies  of  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  to  take  official 
action  approving  the  plan  of  federation  adopted  by  the  Inter- 
church  Conference  on  Federation  in  New  York,  in  1905,  and 
the  first  president  of  the  Federal  Council  was  a  bishop  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

The  one  official  book  of  Methodist  doctrine  and  policy  is  the 
**  Book  of  Discipline.'* 

Dr.  Gross  Alexander  published  in  1 894  a  **  History  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,"  as  one  of  the 
American  Church  Series. 

There  is  a  little  book  entided  "  The  Methodist  Armor,"  by 
Dr.  H.  T.  Hudson,  which  is  more  widely  circulated 
than  any  other  book,  but  it  is  meant  more  particularly  for 
young  people  who  have  just  joined  the  Church.  It  ex- 
plains our  history,  doctrines  and  polity  in  a  way  well 
suited  to  their  needs.  It  was  published  in  1895  by  the 
Methodist  Publishing  House,  Nashville. 


X 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

IN  the  year  1787  Richard  Allen,  a  Negro,  and  a  few  others 
in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  seeing  the  deplorable  condition  of 
the  people  of  African  descent  in  America,  were  moved  to 
organize  an  African  Methodist  Church  Society  for  their  better- 
ment, with  an  eye  to  the  need  of  enlightenment  and  the  uplift- 
ing influence  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

Representatives  from  small  religious  societies  of  similar  ex- 
periences and  intent,  from  New  Jersey,  Delaware  and  Maryland, 
sixteen  in  number,  convened  in  Philadelphia,  April,  18 16,  and 
organized  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  on  the 
nth  day  of  April,  Rev.  Richard  Allen,  who  had  been  ordained 
seventeen  years  before  by  the  Rev.  Bishop  Asbury  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  was  unanimously  elected  and 
solemnly  ordained  to  the  episcopal  office,  to  superintend  the 
affairs  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  was 
the  first  Negro  bishop  ordained  in  America. 

It  was  at  this  convention  that  the  African  Methodist  Church 
assumed  its  organized  connectional  form.  It  adopted  as  its 
motto,  *'  God  our  Father y  Christ  our  redeemer ^  7nan  our 
brother''     Hence  its  mission  to  all  mankind. 

Starting  out  on  an  evangelizing  mission  from  God  with  this 
spirit  and  intent,  the  Church,  through  self-help  and  friendly  aid, 
has  increased  its  membership  in  the  United  States  to  625,000  : 
in  the  mission  fields  to  25,000.  It  has  organized  6,500 
churches,  with  6,554  pastors  ;  6,437  local  preachers  with  2,748 
parsonages.  Its  Sunday-schools  have  231,828  pupils:  5,851 
instructors  and  150,000  books  in  their  libraries.  There  are 
2,000  Young  People's  Societies  of  Christian  Endeavor. 

81 


82       CHUECHES  OP  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Organizations 

It  has  organized  seventy-nine  Annual  Conferences,  twenty- 
four  General  Conferences,  and  ordained  thirty-nine  bishops  to 
the  episcopal  office ;  fifteen  of  whom  are  now  active,  with  one 
retired — Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner. 

The  Mission  Fields  and  Work 

These  Annual  Conferences  supervise  work  in  the  United 
States,  Canada,  South  America,  West  Indies,  Hayti,  San 
Domingo  and  West  and  South  Africa.  Two  conferences  arc 
held  in  Liberia,  Rt.  Rev.  William  H.  Heard,  D.  D.,  Resident 
Bishop,  living  in  Liberia,  West  Africa.  Five  Annual  Confer- 
ences are  held  in  South  Africa,  Rt.  Rev.  John  Albert  Johnson, 
D.  D.,  Resident  Bishop,  Capetown,  South  Africa. 

Educational  Work 
The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  sixteen  educa- 
tional plants  in  the  United  States,  including  nine  below  col- 
lege grade ;  five  colleges  and  four  universities.  It  has  two 
church  parochial  schools  in  the  West  Indies,  one  in  Demarara ; 
eighty-two  day-schools  in  South  Africa,  with  4,230  pupils. 
There  are  about  4,730  pupils  enrolled  in  the  schools  and 
mission  fields. 

Departmental  Agencies  and  Work 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  Book  Concern  is 
in  Philadelphia.  The  Christian  Recorder  is  situated  here  also, 
the  oldest  Negro  journal  in  the  world.  At  this  same  location 
The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Review  is  published. 

The  Department  of  Missions  is  located  in  New  York. 

The  Women's  Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society  has  head- 
quarters in  Philadelphia.  The  Women's  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  headquarters  are  in  Atlanta,  Ga.  Each  of 
these  departments  has  branch  societies  in  every  Annual  Con- 


AFEICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH    83 

ference,  as  well  as  foreign  work,  and  is  under  a  board  of  rep- 
resentative district  managers. 

The  Church  Extension  Department  and  the  Department  of 
Finance  are  in  Washington,  D.  C.  The  Sunday-School  Union 
Publishing  House  is  situated  in  Nashville,  Tenn.  The  head- 
quarters of  the  Allen  Young  People's  Christian  Endeavor  De- 
partment is  here  also.  Its  secretary  edits  The  Allen  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  organ.  The  Educational  Department  is  at 
Waco,  Tex. 

The  Southern  Chrislia?i  Recorder  is  published  at  Columbus, 
Ga. ;  The  Western  Christian  Recorder  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.  ', 
The  Georgia  African  Methodist  2Md.  The  Woinen^  s  Missio7iary 
Herald  at  Atlanta,  Ga. 

The  Bureau  of  History  is  situated  in  Chicago. 

Benevolent  Economics 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  no  millionaires, 
nor  much  wealth  among  its  membership,  being  composed 
chiefly  of  plain  but  industrious  people,  but  out  of  their  penury 
they  collect  and  expend  annually  for  missions,  home  and 
foreign,  ^100,000;  for  education  ^125,000,  and  for  general 
church  funds  through  its  financial  department  dollar-money 
about  ;^20o,ooo.  This  does  not  include  moneys  for  local  ex- 
penses, for  church  indebtedness,  or  ministerial  support. 

Doctrines,  Rules  and  Sentiments 
The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  believes  in  and 
practices  the  doctrines,  the  rules  of  government  and  forms  of 
worship  of  Episcopal  Methodists.  It  is  in  union  and  co- 
operation, in  sentiment  and  effort  with  all  churches  and  bodies 
which  labor  for  the  evangelization  of  the  world  and  the  uplift 
of  all  mankind.  Its  bishops,  preachers  and  laymen  are  public 
spirited  and  lend  effective  aid  for  civic  and  social  betterment 
of  the  people,  irrespective  of  race  or  color. 

Its  councils  and  conferences  send  to  and  receive  fraternal 


84       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

delegates  and  greetings  from  many  of  the  leading  church  bodies 
and  other  federations.  The  Church  labors  to  enlighten  the 
people  through  the  Gospel  of  Christ  and  Christian  education  ; 
to  inspire  the  principles  of  good  and  useful  citizenship  in  the 
Negro  race — fealty,  loyalty,  self-respect,  manly  independence 
and  cooperation  ;  and  by  means  of  organized  efforts  to  in- 
culcate the  virtues  of  industrial  thrift  through  self-help  and 
friendly  aid. 

This  Church  originated  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  in- 
dustrial education  as  early  as  1845,  before  there  was  a  Hamp- 
ton or  a  Tuskegee. 

Among  the  noted  useful  and  prominent  characters  who  have 
labored  and  arisen  out  of  this  body  of  Negro  Christians  may 
be  named  Richard  Allen,  the  founder  and  bishop. 

Rev.  Daniel  A.  Payne,  pastor  and  bishop,  apostle  of  Chris- 
tian education  and  an  urgent  advocate  for  a  trained  Negro 
ministry,  founder  of  Wilberforce  University,  of  which  he  was 
for  many  years  president,  having  as  his  associates  Rev.  John 
G.  Mitchell  and  Elder  James  A.  Shorter.  Rev.  John  M. 
Brown  was  a  promoter  of  Christian  missions  in  1864. 

Rev.  Henry  M.  Turner,  of  Georgia,  was  a  mission  preacher 
and  organizer  among  the  freedmen  of  the  South.  He  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  Lincoln,  the  first  colored  chaplain  in  the 
United  States  Army.  He  is  a  writer,  author  and  the  senior 
bishop.  Chaplain  Wm.  H.  Hunter  was  an  eminent  clergyman 
and  general  officer  in  this  body. 

Bishop  Benjamin  W.  Arnett,  the  historiographer  of  the 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  of  the  United  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor,  an 
executive  member  of  the  World's  Parliament  of  Religions, 
which  met  at  Chicago  in  1893,  ^"^  ^  personal  friend  of 
President  William  McKinley. 

Rev.  William  T.  Vernon,  college  president,  educator  and 
register  of  the  United  States  Treasury. 

Frederick  Douglass,  the  orator,  patriot,  statesman  and  philan- 


APEICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH    85 

thropist,  arose  from  this  Christian  body  and  was  laid  to  rest 
from  among  them  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

Prof.  W.  S.  Scarborough,  president  of  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, writer,  Greek  author  and  member  of  the  Philological 
Society  of  College  Presidents,  is  a  distinguished  layman. 

The  Evangelist  Amanda  Smith,  and  Fanny  Jackson  Coppin, 
the  educator,  had  their  membership  among  this  body  of  Negro 
Christians.  This  body  of  Christians,  South  as  well  as  North, 
has  included  men  and  women  of  marked  gifts,  attainments  and 
activities  in  every  field  of  useful  pursuit. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

**  History  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,"  by 
D.  A.  Payne,  1891. 

"  Apology  for  African  Methodism,"  by  B.  T.  Tanner. 

"  The  Budget,"  by  B.  W.  Arnett. 

"  The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Discipline." 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  (Quarterly  Review, 

All  to  be  had  at  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Book  Con- 
cern, 631    Pine  Street,  Philadelphia. 

"  The  Centennial  Retrospect,"  History  of  the  African  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Sunday-School  Union,  Nashville,  Tenn. 


XI 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion 

Church 

OWING  to  proscription  on  account  of  color  which  was 
exhibited  in  the  Old  John  Street  Methodist  Church, 
New  York  City,  about  sixty  of  the  colored  members 
withdrew  in  October,  1796,  and  formed  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  which  about  twenty  years  afterward  added 
to  its  title  the  word  Zion,  some  of  its  leading  founders  being 
James  Varick,  Abraham  Thompson,  Francis  Jacobs,  William 
Brown,  Peter  Williams,  June  Scott,  Samuel  Poynter,  Thomas 
Miller,  William  Hamilton,  George  E.  Moore,  Thomas  Sipkins, 
David  Bias,  George  White,  Thomas  Cook,  John  Teesman, 
George  Collins. 

The  first  board  of  trustees  was  composed  of  Francis  Jacobs, 
President ;  George  Collins,  Secretary ;  Thomas  Miller,  Treas- 
urer; William  Brown,  Peter  Williams,  Thomas  Sipkins,  and 
William  Hamilton.  The  first  licensed  local  preachers  v/ere 
Abraham  Thompson,  June  Scott,  Thomas  Miller  and  William 
Miller.  The  first  ordained  elders  were  Abraham  Thompson 
and  James  Varick.  The  first  bishop  was  James  Varick,  who 
exercised  the  function  of  his  ofiice  from  1820  to  1828. 

The  following  is  the  address  of  the  founders  : 

Founders'  Address 

*'  To  the  Members  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion 
Church  in  America. 

"  Beloved  Brethren  :     We  think  it  proper  to  state 
briefly  that,  after  due  consideration,  the  official  members  of  the 

86 


A.  M.  E.  ZION  CHUECH  87 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  and  Asbury  Churches,  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  have  been  led  to  conclude  that  such 
was  the  relation  in  which  we  stood  to  the  white  bishops  and 
conference  relative  to  the  ecclesiastical  government  of  the  Afri- 
can Methodist  Church  or  Society  in  America,  that  so  long  as 
we  remained  in  that  situation  our  preachers  would  never  be 
able  to  enjoy  those  privileges  which  the  Discipline  of  the  white 
Church  holds  out  to  all  its  members  that  are  called  of  God  to 
preach,  in  consequence  of  the  limited  access  our  brethren  had 
to  those  privileges,  and  particularly  in  consequence  of  the 
difference  of  color. 

"  We  have  been  led  also  to  conclude  that  the  usefulness  of 
our  preachers  has  been  very  much  hindered,  and  our  brethren 
in  general  have  been  deprived  of  those  blessings  which  Al- 
mighty God  may  have  designed  to  grant  them  through  the 
means  of  those  preachers  whom  He  has  from  time  to  time  raised 
up  among  them,  because  there  have  been  no  means  adopted 
by  the  said  bishops  and  conference  for  our  preachers  to  travel 
through  the  connection  and  promulgate  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  j  and  they  have  had  no  access  to  the  only  source 
from  whence  they  might  have  obtained  a  support,  at  least, 
while  they  travelled. 

"Under  these  circumstances  they  believed  that  the  forma- 
tion of  an  itinerant  plan  and  the  establishment  of  a  conference 
for  the  African  Methodist  preachers  of  the  United  States  would 
be  essential  to  the  prosperity  of  the  spiritual  concerns  of  our 
colored  brethren  in  general,  and  would  be  the  means  of  ad- 
vancing our  preachers  who  are  now  in  regular  standing  in  con- 
nection with  the  white  preachers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  whenever  it  should  be  found  necessary,  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom  among  our  brethren,  to  bring 
forward  for  ordination  those  who  are  called  of  God  to  preach 
the  Gospel  of  our  Lord,  which  may  be  done  from  time  to  time, 
according  to  the  best  of  our  judgment  of  the  necessity  thereof, 
and  not  according  to  the  method  which  it  is  natural  to  suppose 


S8       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

that  our  white  brethren  would  pursue,  to  determine  upon  the 
necessity  of  such  ordination. 

"  We  are  under  strong  impression  of  mind  such  measures 
would  induce  many  of  our  brethren  to  attend  divine  worship, 
vwho  are  yet  careless  about  their  eternal  welfare,  and  thereby 
prove  effectual  in  the  hands  of  God  in  the  awakening  and  con- 
version of  their  souls  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

"  And  whereas  Almighty  God,  in  His  all- wise  and  gracious 
providence,  has  recently  offered  a  favorable  opportunity  whereby 
these  societies  may  be  regularly  organized  as  an  evangelical 
African  connection,  we  have  therefore  resolved  to  embrace  the 
said  opportunity  and  have  agreed  that  the  title  of  the  connec- 
tion shall  be  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
America,  and  we  have  selected  a  form  of  Discipline  from  that 
of  our  mother  Church  (with  a  little  alteration),  which  selec- 
tion we  recommend  to  you  for  the  Doctrines  and  Discipline  of 
our  Church,  hoping  that  the  great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of 
souls,  the  all-wise  and  gracious  God,  will  be  pleased  to  approve 
of  the  above  measures  and  grant  that  we  may  obtain  and  pre- 
serve those  privileges  which  we  have  been  heretofore  deprived 
of;  that  thereby  we  may  unite  our  mutual  efforts  for  the  pros- 
perity of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom  among  us  and  for  the  en- 
couragement of  our  colored  brethren  in  the  ministry. 

♦'Earnestly  soliciting  your  prayers  and  united  endeavors  for 

the  same,  we  remain  your  affectionate  brethren  and  servants 

in  the  Kingdom  of  our  ever  adorable  Lord, 

**  Abraham  Thompson, 
James  Varick, 
William  Miller." 

Statistics 
The  Church  has  eight  bishops,  148  presiding  elders,  2,100 
active  ministers,  821  deacons,  1,235  local  preachers,  585,000 
communicants,  3,100  churches;  property  valuation,  $6,454,- 
000;  parsonages  valued  at  ;^384,ooo.  It  has  2,334  Sunday- 
schools  with  a  membership  of  232,801. 


A.  M.  E.  ZION  CHUECH  89 

The  first  place  of  worship  of  this  new  independent  organiza- 
tion was  a  carpenter  shop.  In  1800  a  lot  was  purchased  at 
the  corner  of  Church  and  Leonard  Streets,  upon  which  the 
first  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  church  was  erected. 
The  organization  was  incorporated  February  5,  1801.  From 
this  humble  beginning  we  have  progressed  until  to-day  we  have 
eight  living  bishops,  twenty  general  officers,  seven  distinct  de- 
partments, twenty-one  schools,  of  which  the  most  prominent 
are  as  follows :  Livingstone  College,  Salisbury,  N.  C. ;  Atkin- 
son College,  Madisonville,  Ky. ;  Dinvviddie  Industrial  and 
Agricultural  College,  Dinwiddle,  Va. ;  Clinton  College,  Rock 
Hill,  S.  C. ;  Greenville  College,  Greenville,  Tenn. ;  Lomax 
and  Hannum  College,  Greenville,  Ala. ;  Lancaster  Normal 
and  Industrial  School,  Lancaster,  S.  C.  ;  Walters'  Institute, 
Warren,  Ark. ;  Edenton  College,  Edenton,  N.  C. ;  Zion  Insti- 
tute, Mobile,  Ala. ;  Eastern  North  Carolina  and  Industrial 
Academy,  New  Berne,  N.  C. ;  Macon  Academy,  Macon,  Ga. 

The  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  is  under 
the  control  of  the  women  of  the  Church. 

There  are  missions  in  West  Africa,  in  Brewerville,  Liberia, 
Cape  Coast  Castle,  Kwitta  and  a  number  of  other  points  in  the 
Cape  Coast  Colony.  There  are  missions  also  in  South  America 
and  the  West  Indies. 

In  May,  1868,  the  General  Conference  struck  from  the  Dis- 
cipline the  word  "male,"  thus  being  the  first  Methodist  de- 
nomination to  admit  to  all  constitutional  privileges  in  the 
Church  her  female  members,  on  an  equal  basis  with  the  male 
members,  and  in  May,  1896,  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Foote  was  ordained 
a  deacon  by  Bishop  J.  W.  Hood  at  the  New  York  Conference. 
In  the  same  year  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Small  was  ordained  a  deacon 
by  Bishop  Alexander  Walters  at  the  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore 
Conference. 

Some  of  the  most  distinguished  colored  men  and  women  of 
America  have  been  members  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Zion  Church,  including  Frederick  Douglass,  Phyllis  Wheatly, 


90       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Dr.  J.  C.  Price,  founder  of  Livingstone  College  and  one  of  the 
greatest  orators  the  race  has  produced,  Hon.  J.  C.  Dancey, 
collector  of  the  Port  of  Wilmington  and  Recorder  of  Deeds  of 
the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Ecumenical  Conference  of  Methodism  since  its 
organization,  in  1881,  and  has  affiliated  with  the  Christian 
Endeavor  movement  since  1893.  It  has  had  membership  in 
the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  since 
its  organization. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  believes  in 
Christian  Unity,  which  fact  it  has  demonstrated  by  its  close 
affiliation  with  the  evangelical  denominations  of  America. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 
"  A  Century  of  Zion  Methodism,"  by  Bishop  J.  W.  Hood. 
"  The  History  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church,"  by  Bishop  J.  J, 
Moore. 


XII 

The  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

in  America 

THE  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America 
was  organized  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South,  December  15,  1870,  at  Jackson,  Tenn.  The 
plan  was  perfected  in  Memphis,  Tenn.,  in  May,  1870,  in  the 
General  Conference  session  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South. 

The  first  bishops  elected  were  William  Henry  Miles,  of  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  and  Richard  H.  Vanderhost,  a  native  of  Charleston, 
S.  C,  who  at  the  time  of  his  election  was  a  pastor  in  Georgia. 

The  Church  was  organized  with  68,000  members  who  were, 
at  the  time  of  organization,  worshipping  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South.  The  present  membership  is  upward 
of  250,000,  with  seven  bishops. 

The  history  of  this  Church  has  been  unique.  It  grew  out 
of  a  membership  of  225,000  men  and  women  who  belonged 
to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South.  They  were  con- 
verted in  the  days  of  slavery,  under  the  preaching  of  white 
missionaries  and  colored  ministers  of  their  own.  Within  two 
years  after  the  war  more  than  150,000  of  them  went  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal,  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  the 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Churches.  The  transferring 
of  this  number  of  members  in  so  short  a  time  created  much 
unrest  and  caused  much  agitation  among  a  people  who  had  just 
emerged  from  slavery. 

The  three  Churches  above  named  established  themselves  in 
the  South  immediately  after  the  war.     They  were  located  very 

91 


92       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

largely  in  the  cities,  while  the  greater  number  of  colored  Meth- 
odists were  in  the  rural  communities.  With  the  flocking  of  the 
colored  people  to  the  city  from  the  large  plantations  where 
master  and  slave  had  worshipped  together,  they  found  these 
other  Churches  there  and  naturally  sought  shelter  in  them. 

After  the  organization  of  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  there  was  much  feeling  against  it  on  the  ground  that  it 
was  organized  by  the  ex-master  and  for  that  reason  it  was  not 
in  position  to  do  real  Christian  service  for  the  ex-slave  and  his 
sons.  The  opinion  that  it  was  not  sound  in  origin  was  upper- 
most in  the  hearts  of  both  layman  and  leader  of  the  other 
Churches.  Some  of  the  local  pastors  preached  in  their  pulpits 
that  it  was  destined  to  lead  the  Negro  back  into  slavery.  Others 
held  that  Christian  manhood  could  never  be  well  developed  in 
an  institution  which  had  so  humble  a  beginning.  The  agita- 
tion growing  out  of  these  opinions  was  kept  up  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  While  many  souls  were  gained  for  the  Kingdom, 
it  must  be  remembered  that  one  of  the  chief  facts  which  has 
characterized  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
America  is  that  its  ministry  was  for  more  than  twenty-five 
years  combating  the  charge  of  wrong  leadership.  The  early 
leaders — Bishops  Miles,  Vanderhost,  Holsey,  Lane  and  Beebee 
— held  that  the  Church  was  not  a  state  institution  and  was  not 
political.  Its  mission  was  to  gain  souls  and  to  help  the  state 
fight  evils  on  a  general  plane  in  that  it  urged  each  man  to  live 
a  high  life  and  to  keep  the  Golden  Rule.  On  the  other  hand, 
they  believed  that  the  best  whites  of  the  South  were  godly  men 
and  thus  sincere  in  their  motives,  when  offering  to  organize  the 
colored  element  into  a  distinct  body  while  cooperating  with 
them  in  helping  to  direct  the  forces  of  Christianity.  There- 
fore, they  accepted  the  proposition  of  organization  and  future 
cooperation  in  good  faith.  While  the  controversy  was  kept  up 
for  years  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  grew  in 
favor  with  the  other  Christian  bodies  in  proportion  as  the 
North  and  South  better  understood  each  other.     If  the  Church 


COLOEED  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH    93 

was  made  conspicuous  because  of  early  opposition,  it  has  lived  to 
see  the  time  when  the  former  antagonists  have  commended  the 
early  leaders  of  both  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
and  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America  as 
men  of  great  foresight.  These  leaders,  though  ridiculed  by 
both  white  and  black.  North  and  South,  were  laying  the  foun- 
dation for  church  unity  upon  a  basis  that  is  quite  likely  to  be 
permanent. 

While  these  two  bodies  have  been  distinct  in  houses  of  wor- 
ship and  general  administration  they  have  understood  each 
other,  and  the  strong  have  helped  the  weak.  Many  utterances 
at  the  General  Conference  of  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  19 14,  were  to  the  effect  that  the 
relation  of  the  two  Churches  was  providential.  These  utter- 
ances came  from  the  representatives  of  each  denomination. 

The  growth  of  the  Church  has  put  the  entire  race  in  a  position 
to  be  studied  and  helped  in  the  South  and  throughout  the  na- 
tion. It  has  put  in  shoulder-touch  such  eminent  characters  as 
Bishops  Galloway,  Pierce,  Miles  and  Holsey.  Their  private 
counsels  have  not  stopped  in  the  confines  of  the  two  Churches 
but  have  given  rise  to  a  sympathetic  study  and  help  of  the  South- 
ern Negro  in  many  ways.  A  pamphlet  entitled  "  Bulletin  of  Na- 
tional League  on  Urban  Conditions  among  Negroes"  has  as 
a  motto:  ''Not  alms  but  opportunity."  This  League  has 
Northern  and  Southern  headquarters.  The  Southern  headquar- 
ters is  in  Nashville,  Tenn.  The  striking  feature  of  the  League 
is  that  it  has  the  Southern  women  of  the  Missionary  Board  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  connected  with  its  so- 
ciological work.  It  also  has  Paine  College  cooperating  with  it. 
While  its  work  is  national  and  interracial  in  scope,  in  so  far  as 
its  operation  in  the  South  and  with  the  Southern  Methodists  is 
concerned,  it  grows  out  of  the  long  and  friendly  relation  of 
these  two  Churches  and  their  leaders. 

The  growth  of  this  Church  in  its  cooperative  and  liberal  views 
has  been  the  means  of  having  the  first  Southern  white  mission- 


94       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

aries  to  take  up  work  in  Africa  among  our  forefathers.  These 
missionaries  are  Bishop  W.  R.  Lambuth  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  South,  and  Prof.  John  W.  Gilbert  of  the  Colored 
M.  E.  Church  in  America. 

(a)  Ministry 

If  the  leaders  have  brought  about  much  harmony,  the  local 
ministry  has  meant  much  in  different  communities  in  helping 
to  spread  the  Kingdom  because  of  willingness  to  seek  and  work 
with  the  Southern  white  minister.  This  Christlike  spirit  on 
the  part  of  the  pastor  of  the  Colored  Methodist  Church  and 
the  responsive  spirit  of  the  white  brother  have  caused  many  a 
church  house  to  be  erected  and  many  souls  saved.  The  two 
ministers  knowing  and  understanding  each  other  as  they  have, 
meant  much  for  the  white  steward  and  the  black  steward  in 
both  church  and  business.  So  often,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
white  Methodist  women  have  done  much  in  behalf  of  the  col- 
ored element  that  would  have  been  impossible  had  not  this 
unity  and  cooperation  existed  in  the  origin  of  this  Church. 

(b)  Educational  Cooperation 

A  striking  illustration  of  one  race  being  helped  by  another 
intellectually  is  found  in  the  school  work  of  the  Colored  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South.  Thus  far  the  school  work  is  not  noted  for  the  large 
number  of  schools  or  for  their  superior  work  to  that  of  other 
Negro  colleges,  but  rather  as  showing  what  the  South  can  and 
will  do  to  train  leaders  for  the  pulpit  and  schoolroom  for  a  needy 
people.  Paine  College,  Augusta,  Ga.,  is  one  school  in  the 
United  States  of  a  high  grade  where  the  Southern  white  man 
because  of  religious  cooperation  is  the  greater  part  of  the  fac- 
ulty. For  nearly  thirty  years  this  school  has  been  in  existence. 
It  opened  its  doors  with  a  white  president  in  the  person  of  Dr. 
Morgan  Calloway,  who  stayed  only  a  short  while.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Dr.  Geo.  W.  Walker,  who  came  in  the  noonday  of 


COLOEED  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH    95 

his  life  and  taught  there  for  more  than  twenty-five  years.  He 
studied  the  students  while  they  in  turn  studied  this  high  toned 
and  scholarly  Christian  gentleman.  The  school,  being  under 
the  auspices  of  the  two  Churches,  is  financed  by  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  almost  entirely.  The  faculty  is  al- 
most equally  divided.  The  school  stands  for  the  highest  and 
best  training  for  the  Negroes.  While  the  Negroes  were  going 
almost  wild  over  an  industrial  and  limited  training  in  a  large 
measure,  President  Walker  was  heroically  urging  the  best  train- 
ing for  black  Americans.  He  urged  in  an  educational  meeting 
in  1908  in  Atlanta,  Ga., — ''You  send  missionaries  to  China 
and  Japan  and  urge  them  to  accept  the  best  training ;  why  not 
give  it  to  a  people  raised  in  this  country,  who  have  been  true 
to  its  flag,  and  who  have  our  religious  standards  ?  "  Many  ed- 
ucators advocate  theories  but  never  realize  their  dreams.  This 
educator,  however,  was  very  practical  as  is  shown  in  the  strong 
men  he  turned  out  for  service  in  the  Colored  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church. 

Note  the  work  of  this  pioneer  school  as  shown  in  some  of  its 
strong  men.  By  way  of  example  we  mention  Bishop  Randall 
Albert  Carter  and  Dr.  John  Wesley  Gilbert,  both  products  of 
this  cooperative  church  school.  Bishop  Carter  served  in  the 
ministry  for  more  than  twenty  years,  represented  the  Church  in 
many  large  and  national,  as  well  as  international  gatherings 
and  always  with  credit.  Dr.  John  W.  Gilbert  took  an  advanced 
course  in  Brown  University,  from  which  he  won  a  scholarship 
to  Athens,  Greece  (American  School  of  Classics).  He  was  the 
first  Negro  from  America  to  have  this  distinction.  He  is  re- 
garded as  the  best  Negro  Greek  scholar,  especially  when  esti- 
mated from  the  standpoint  of  modern  Greek.  He  taught  Greek 
and  German  for  more  than  twenty  years  at  Paine  College  and 
from  there  he  was  the  first  missionary  of  the  Colored  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  to  Africa.  He  is  a  man  of  great  ability,  en- 
ergy and  culture.  He  has  not  only  taught  in  this  institution, 
easily  making  his  chair  one  of  the  strongest  in  the  state  or 


96       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

South,  but  he  has  worked  harmoniously  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  in  this  country.  He  has  raised  large 
funds  for  the  schools  of  the  Church,  and  has  been  the  means  of 
pushing  the  general  work  of  cooperation  between  the  two 
Churches.  This  would  have  been  impossible  had  he  not  under- 
stood these  people  through  training  and  constant  contact.  If 
the  two  Churches  had  produced  only  Bishop  Carter  and  Dr. 
Gilbert  as  examples  of  what  cooperation  will  do  in  man-build- 
ing, they  would  have  done  much  for  both  races. 

If  the  Colored  Methodist  Church  has  cooperated  as  a  distinct 
body  with  the  Southern  white  Church  it  has  sought  to  do  the 
same  with  the  other  Churches  of  the  race.  Bishop  Miles  in 
1874,  just  four  years  after  the  Church  was  organized,  urged 
fraternal  relation  between  the  Colored  Methodist  bodies  gen- 
erally. The  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  appointed  a 
committee  in  its  General  Conference  in  1874  to  draw  up  reso- 
lutions on  fraternal  relation  or  organic  union.  The  time,  how- 
ever, seemed  not  to  have  been  ripe  for  this. 

Finally,  this  branch  of  the  Methodist  and  Christian  family 
has  found  that  much  of  its  worthy  history  has  grown  out  of  co- 
operation with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South.  On 
the  other  hand,  its  work  has  been  one  of  struggles  to  convert 
men  and  women  to  better  living.  Its  policy  seems  to  be  more 
and  more  aimed  at  a  broader  affiliation  with  all  denominations. 
At  its  General  Conference  of  1 914  at  St.  Louis,  its  response  to 
the  visitation  of  Dr.  Macfarland,  the  General  Secretary  of  the 
Federal  Council,  was  appreciative  and  without  limit  in  its  cath- 
olicity of  spirit. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"History  of  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in 
America,"  by  Bishop  C.  H.  Phillips,  published  by  the 
Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  Book  House, 
Jackson,  Tenn. 


XIII 
The  Methodist  Protestant  Church 

THE  Methodist  Protestant  Church  is  the  outgrowth  of 
a  controversy  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
on  the  subject  of  the  mutual  rights  of  the  ministry 
and  the  laity.  That  controversy  had  continued  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  its  climax  was  reached  in  the  expulsion  of  those 
who  publicly  favored  lay-representation.  These  excommuni- 
cated reformers,  then  grouped  for  the  most  part  in  Baltimore, 
Cincinnati  and  Pittsburgh,  became  the  founders  of  the  Method- 
ist Protestant  Church ;  and  the  first  constitutional  convention, 
following  a  period  of  evolution  under  the  name  of  Associated 
Methodist  Churches,  was  held  on  the  second  day  of  Novem- 
ber, 1830. 

As  with  other  denominational  families  in  America,  the 
Methodist  Protestant  house  was  divided  against  itself  on  the 
question  of  slavery;  but,  unlike  other  separated  bodies,  the 
Methodist  Protestants  were  happily  reunited  in  a  few  short 
years.  The  controversy  between  the  two  sections  came  to  a 
climax  in  1858,  when  the  representatives  to  the  General  Con- 
ference from  the  non-slaveholding  states,  instead  of  repairing 
directly  to  Lynchburg,  Va.,  the  meeting-place  of  the  General 
Conference,  met  in  extraordinary  convention  in  Cincinnati, 
and  sent  commissioners  to  Lynchburg  with  a  memorial  asking 
for  such  a  revision  of  the  constitution  of  the  Church  as  would 
satisfy  the  sentiment  of  the  North  on  the  great  issue  of  the 
hour.  But,  although  the  Methodist  Protestants  of  the  South 
were  by  no  means  a  unit  in  the  defense  of  slavery,  the  Mary- 
land Conference  having  repeatedly  declared  against  the  insti- 

97 


98       CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUl^CIL 

tution,  beginning  with  its  first  session  in  1831,  passionate 
conviction  on  both  sides  was  too  unyielding  for  compromise, 
and  two  denominations  resulted,  by  the  natural  evolution  of 
circumstances. 

Both  wings  of  the  divided  Church  retained  the  name, 
"Methodist  Protestant,"  until  1866,  when  the  Northern 
branch,  through  the  terms  of  a  basis  of  union  with  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist  Church,  became  known  simply  as  The  Meth- 
odist Church.  The  only  considerable  result  of  the  nominal 
union  with  the  Wesleyan  Methodists  was  the  final  acquisition 
of  Adrian  College,  now  one  of  the  foremost  educational  insti- 
tutions of  the  denomination.  The  Methodist  Protestants  of 
the  South  also  acquired,  during  the  period  of  separation,  the 
well-known  educational  unit  of  that  section,  the  Western 
Maryland  College ;  and  these  two  centers  of  learning,  Adrian 
and  Westminster,  were  among  the  chief  factors  of  influence 
which  led  to  the  reunion  of  the  North  and  the  South  into  the 
one  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  thus  giving  to  American 
Christianity  the  first  example,  if  not  the  only  example,  of  the 
complete  union  of  Churches  separated  by  that  great  Rock  of 
Divisions,  the  humanitarian  issue  that  caused  and  accom- 
panied the  Civil  War. 

The  happy  reunion  took  place  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  in 
1877,  the  separate  conventions  of  the  two  denominations  meet- 
ing on  the  eleventh  day  of  May,  and  the  union  being  finally 
consummated,  with  every  token  of  loyal  enthusiasm,  on  the 
sixteenth  day  of  May.  This  union  was  in  every  sense  com- 
plete and  genuine,  the  final  harmony  leaving  not  an  echo  of 
the  few  notes  of  discord  which  accompanied  the  tuning  of  the 
various  parts.  And  no  district  units  of  the  whole  denomina- 
tion entered  more  loyally  into  the  final  union  than  the  four 
Southern  conferences  which  had  originally  voted  against  the 
union. 

The  greatest  achievement  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church  has  doubtless  been  wrought  through  the  recognized 


THE  METHODIST  PEOTESTANT  CHUECH    99 

influence  of  its  principles  in  the  later  development  of  Ameri- 
can Methodism.  But  despite  the  overshadowing  competition 
of  the  larger  denominations  of  the  same  family,  the  Methodist 
Protestant  Church  has  made  very  encouraging  progress,  espe- 
cially during  the  last  two  or  three  decades.  The  total  member- 
ship is  about  two  hundred  thousand,  and  there  are  twenty-nine 
regular  conferences,  besides  a  number  of  mission-conferences, 
the  latter  including  a  growing  conference  in  Japan.  We 
have  also  five  colleges,  one  of  which  has  developed  into 
a  university,  besides  a  well-established  theological  seminary. 
The  missionary  activity  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church, 
though  beginning  somewhat  late,  has  been,  during  the 
past  few  years,  a  very  important  factor  in  the  work  of  the 
denomination.  Besides  a  conference  in  Japan,  a  mission 
station  has  been  established  in  China,  and  our  home  mission- 
ary work  is  centered  in  many  cities,  and  reaches  out  into  the 
pioneer  regions  of  the  country,  with  an  ever- widening  oppor- 
tunity and  an  increasing  spirit  of  benevolence  on  the  part  of 
the  people. 

But  the  individuality  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  is 
not  dependent  upon  lay-representation  alone ;  and  while,  in  all 
the  great  symbols  of  the  Christian  faith,  this  body  corresponds  to 
all  the  others  called  evangelical,  embracing  with  them  all  the 
fullness  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  its  elementary  principles  are  de- 
signed to  lay  hold  upon  those  specific  rights  and  privileges,  the 
conservation  of  which  history  has  shown  to  be  essential  to  relig- 
ious liberty.  These  elementary  principles  admit  but  one  order 
in  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  establishing  presbyterial  equal- 
ity as  well  as  equality  between  the  ministers  and  the  laymen  : 
"The  pastoral  or  ministerial  office  and  duties  are  of  divine 
appointment,  and  all  elders  in  the  Church  of  God  are  equal ; 
but  ministers  are  forbidden  to  be  lords  over  God's  heritage,  or 
to  have  dominion  over  the  faith  of  the  saints."  They  hold 
the  Church  to  a  basis  which  is  preeminently  Christo-centric 
and  Biblical,   as  distinguished  from  everything  merely  tradi- 


100     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

tional  or  ceremonial ;  "  Christ  is  the  only  Head  of  the  Church, 
and  the  Word  of  God  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  conduct." 
They  proclaim  and  conserve  the  right  of  private  judgment  in 
matters  of  religion  :  *'  Every  man  has  an  inalienable  right  to 
private  judgment  in  matters  of  religion,  and  an  equal  right  to 
express  his  opinion  in  any  way  which  will  not  violate  the  laws 
of  God  or  the  rights  of  his  fellow  men."  They  guard  most 
sacredly  the  privilege  of  communion  with  the  people  of  God, 
relieving  the  matter  of  church  fellowship  from  every  semblance 
of  autocracy,  and  making  it  conditional  only  upon  the  substan- 
tial things  of  faith  and  piety:  **  Church  trials  should  be  con- 
ducted on  gospel  principles  only ;  and  no  minister  or  member 
should  be  excommunicated  except  for  immorality,  the  propaga- 
tion of  unchristian  doctrines,  or  for  the  neglect  of  duties  en- 
joined by  the  Word  of  God."  They  recognize  the  integral 
nature  of  every  society  of  believers  in  Jesus  Christ ;  recognize 
such  society,  when  assembled  for  religious  worship,  as  a  Chris- 
tian Church  of  divine  institution,  vesting  therein  the  right  of 
local  self-government:  "A  Church  is  a  society  of  believers  in 
Jesus  Christ,  assembled  in  any  one  place  for  religious  worship." 

These  elementary  principles  reveal  at  once  the  historic  de- 
partures and  the  essential  conformity  of  the  Methodist  Protes- 
tant Church.  Steadfastly  orthodox,  and  yet  progressively 
orthodox,  our  people  ask  indeed  for  the  old  paths,  but  they 
walk  forward  therein,  and  not  backward.  While  justly  proud 
of  their  heritage,  they  do  not  live  in  the  past,  nor  build  their 
temples  among  the  tombs.  They  cherish  the  mutual  rights  for 
which  their  fathers  contended ;  but,  having  acquired  those 
rights  and  having  transmitted  them  to  others,  and  having  also 
witnessed  the  pervading  triumph  of  their  principles  in  other 
communions,  they  do  not  fight  over  again  the  old  battles,  nor 
preach  the  non-essentials  of  an  accepted  polity. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Church  is  responsive,  with  all 
windows  open  wide,  to  the  new  and  blessed  era  of  inter- 
denominational fellowship ;  and  such  a  work  as  that  of  the 


THE  METHODIST  PEOTESTANT  CHUECH    101 

Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  lies 
along  the  straight  highway  of  our  ideals.  All  Methodist 
Protestants,  whatsoever  the  varying  shades  of  opinion  or  tempera- 
ment that  may  distinguish  them,  are  in  ready  and  profound 
sympathy  with  the  spirit  of  union  now  abroad  in  the  Christian 
world.  Their  principles  must  abide  with  them,  and  every  path 
in  which  they  walk  must  make  room  for  all  their  cherished 
liberties,  and  even  for  their  battle-flags ;  but  Methodist 
Protestants  have  entered  into  the  vision  of  their  Lord,  and  are 
looking  forward  to  the  glad  time  when  the  discordant  creeds  of 
Christendom  shall  be  united  in  the  one  school  of  the  great 
Teacher. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"History  of  Methodist  Reform,"  by  Drinkhouse. 

**  History  of  Methodist  Protestant  Church,"  by  Bassett. 

"  Non-Episcopal  Methodism,"  by  Colhouer. 

**  Founders  of  the  Methodist  Protestant    Church,"  by  Col- 
houer. 

"  American  Methodism :  Its  Divisions  and  Unification,"  by 
Neely. 


XIV 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A. 

I.     History 

AMERICAN  Presbyterianism  as  a  whole  is  as  diverse 
in  its  origin  as  are  the  peoples  who  have  blended  to 
form  the  American  nation. 

The  earliest  American  Presbyterian  Churches  were  established 
in  New  England,  Maryland,  Delaware  and  Virginia,  from  about 
1630  to  1680,  and  were  in  large  part  of  English  origin,  their 
pastors  as  a  rule  being  Church  of  England  ministers  holding 
Presbyterian  views. 

The  English  Presbyterians  in  the  colonies  combined  at  an 
early  day  (1680-17 10)  with  Scotch  and  Scotch-Irish,  French 
and  Welsh  elements,  to  form  what  is  now  known  as  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  Rev.  Francis  Makemie,  of  Ireland,  was  the  apostle  of 
American  Presbyterianism,  settling  in  Maryland  in  1683.  He 
succeeded  in  bringing  into  organic  unity  the  scattered  Presby- 
terian Churches  in  the  middle  colonies,  the  first  Presbytery 
being  organized  in  March,  1706,  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.  The 
ministers  were  seven  in  number,  representing  about  twenty-two 
congregations,  located  in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland 
and  Delaware.  Five  of  the  seven  ministers  were  university 
and  college  men,  and  the  other  two  were  well-educated  per- 
sons. The  growth  of  the  colonies  so  added  to  the  membership 
of  the  Church  that  in  September,  171 6,  the  presbytery  trans- 
formed itself  into  a  synod  with  four  presbyteries.  A  great 
number  of  the  immigrants  at  this  period  were  from  Scotland 
and  from  the  north  of  Ireland.  Confessional  and  govern- 
mental standards  were  adopted  in   1729,  when  the  General 

102 


PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.  A.    103 

Synod  passed  what  is  called  the  Adopting  Act,  by  which  it  was 
agreed  that  all  the  ministers  under  its  jurisdiction  should  adopt 
the  Westminster  Confession  as  the  confession  of  their  faith. 
In  the  same  year  the  Synod  denied  to  the  civil  magistrate 
power  over  the  Church,  and  also  the  power  "  to  persecute  any 
for  their  religion."  In  1745  questions  of  polity  as  to  revivals 
and  ministerial  education  produced  a  division,  the  parties 
being  known  as  "  Old  Side  "  and  "  New  Side."  In  1758  the 
divided  bodies  reunited  upon  the  basis  of  the  Westminster 
Standards  pure  and  simple,  the  Church  then  consisting  of 
ninety-eight  ministers,  about  200  congregations,  and  10,000 
communicants.  It  was  during  the  period  of  this  division  that 
the  ''New  Side"  established  the  institution  now  known  as 
Princeton  University,  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  an 
educated  ministry.  In  1768  John  Witherspoon  was  called 
from  Scotland,  and  installed  as  president  of  Princeton.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress,  and  the  only 
clerical  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  The  open- 
ing of  the  Revolutionary  struggle  found  the  Presbyterian 
Churches  to  a  man  on  the  colonial  side. 

The  Presbyterians  of  New  England,  owing  to  local  causes, 
were  not  connected  ecclesiastically  with  those  of  the  other 
colonies.  There  were  fully  eighty-five  Presbyterian  congrega- 
tions in  that  region  in  1770,  and  in  1775  the  Synod  of  New 
England  was  erected,  but  was  dissolved  in  1782.  This  Synod 
was  reconstituted  in  191 3,  and  has  now  fifty-two  churches. 

With  the  restoration  of  peace  in  1783,  the  need  of  further 
organization  was  deeply  felt.  The  General  Synod,  in  1788, 
again  adopted  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  with  the 
Larger  and  Shorter  Catechisms,  and  in  addition  a  Form  of 
Government,  a  Book  of  Discipline,  and  a  Directory  for  Wor- 
ship, all  of  which  were  declared  to  be  the  Constitution  of  the 
Church.  Certain  changes  were  made  in  the  Confession,  the 
Catechisms,  and  the  Directory  for  Worship,  in  the  line  of 
liberty  in  worship,  of  freedom  in  prayer,  and  above  all  of  lib- 


104     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

erty  from  control  by  the  State.  The  General  Assembly  was  es- 
tablished as  the  governing  body  and  first  met  m  1789,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

The  most  important  movement  in  the  Church  after  the  adop- 
tion of  the  constitution  was  the  formation  in  i8oi  of  the  ''  Plan 
of  Union  "  with  the  Congregational  Associations  of  New  Eng- 
land.    It  remained  in  force  until  1837. 

What  is  known  as  the  Cumberland  separation  also  took 
place  during  this  period.  It  was  caused  in  large  part  by  the 
''  great  revival  "  of  1800.  The  Presbytery  of  Cumberland 
ordained  to  the  ministry,  under  the  pressure  of  the  need  for 
preachers,  persons  who,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Synod  of 
Kentucky,  were  not  qualified  for  the  office  either  by  learning  or 
by  sound  doctrine.  The  controversies  between  the  two  judica- 
tories resulted  finally,  in  18 10,  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 

About  the  year  1825  the  peace  of  the  Church  began  to  be 
disturbed  by  controversies  respecting  the  Plan  of  Union  and 
the  establishment  of  denominational  agencies  for  missionary 
and  evangelistic  work.  The  party  opposed  to  the  Plan  of 
Union  was  known  as  the  "  Old  School,"  and  that  favoring  it  as 
the  "  New  School."  Questions  of  doctrine  were  also  involved. 
The  '^  Old  School  "  majority  in  the  Assembly  of  1837  brought 
the  matters  at  issue  to  a  head  by  abrogating  the  Plan  of 
Union,  by  the  excision  of  four  synods  in  New  York  and  Ohio 
organized  in  part  under  the  Plan  of  Union,  and  by  the 
establishment  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 
When  the  Assembly  of  1838  met,  the  "  New  School  "  com- 
missioners protested  against  the  exclusion  of  the  delegates  from 
the  four  exscinded  synods,  organized  an  assembly  of  their  own 
in  the  presence  of  the  sitting  assembly,''and  then  withdrew. 
During  the  period  of  separation  both  bodies  prospered.  The 
two  Churches  were  happily  reunited  November  12,  1869,  at 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  on  "  the  basis  of  the  standards  pure  and 
simple." 


PEESBYTEEIAK  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.  A.    106 

A  division  of  the  Church  was  brought  about  also  by  the 
Civil  War.  In  May,  1861,  the  Old  School  Assembly  met  at 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  Dr.  Gardiner  Spring  of  New  York  offered 
resolutions,  among  other  things  professing  loyalty  to  the  Federal 
Government.  These  resolutions  were  passed  by  a  large  major- 
ity, and  were  the  alleged  reason  for  the  organization  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  Confederate  States  of  America. 
Upon  the  cessation  of  hostilities  in  1865,  this  Church  took  the 
name  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States,  and  is 
commonly  known  as  the  Presbyterian  Church,  South. 

Since  the  year  1870  the  Church  has  made  steady  progress 
along  all  lines,  and  its  harmony  was  seriously  threatened  only 
by  controversy  (i 891-1894)  as  to  the  sources  of  authority  in 
religion  and  the  authority  and  credibility  of  Holy  Scripture,  a 
controversy  which  terminated  in  the  adoption  by  the  General 
Assembly  at  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  in  1899,  of  a  unanimous  de- 
liverance affirming  the  loyalty  of  the  Church  to  its  historic 
views  on  these  subjects.  The  work  of  the  organization  of 
women  for  general  missionary  and  other  benevolent  work  was 
begun  in  1870  by  the  establishment  of  Women's  Foreign 
Missionary  Societies.  There  are  now  boards  in  existence  also 
for  work  in  Home  Missions  and  Missions  for  Freedmen. 
These  Women's  Boards  have  brought  a  new  and  highly 
efficient  force  to  bear  upon  Christian  enterprise.  In  1875  the 
General  Assembly  entered  as  a  leading  factor  into  the  "Alli- 
ance of  the  Reformed  Churches  throughout  the  World  holding 
the  Presbyterian  System."  In  1888  a  centenary  fund  of 
^^605,000  was  raised,  which  was  added  to  the  endowment  fund 
of  the  Board  of  Ministerial  Relief.  In  1900  the  Twentieth 
Century  Fund  was  organized,  and  resulted  in  raising  in  two 
years  for  congregational  and  general  purposes  over  ^i  2,000,000, 
In  1 901  the  Evangelistic  Committee  was  formed,  through 
whose  efforts  a  decided  uplift  has  been  given  to  spiritual  con- 
ditions, not  only  within  the  Presbyterin  Church,  but  also 
among  many  other  denominations.     The  Presbyterian  Brother- 


106     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

hood  was  organized  in  1906  for  evangelistic  and  social  pur- 
poses, and  includes  fully  60,000  men  in  its  membership.  In 
1906  reunion  with  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  was 
accomplished.  The  Church  entered  heartily  into  the  organi- 
zation in  December,  1908,  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  of  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  composed  of 
thirty  denominations,  having  about  17,000,000  communicants, 
and  representing  a  majority  of  the  Christian  people  of  the 
United  States.^  The  growth  of  the  Church  is  shown  by  the 
following  table. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  U.  S.  A.,  1640  to  19 15 


Year 

Minis- 
ters 

Churches 

Communi- 
cants 

Benevolent 
Contribu- 
tions 

1640 

5 
10 

12 

19 
177 

183 
1,080 
2,140 
1,690 
1,181 
1,860 

1,453 

2,577 

1,545 
2,656 

1,523 
2,859 

1,555 
2,381 
1,848 

6 

18 

22 

40 

431 

449 

1,770 

2,865 

2,343 
1,286 
2,512 

1,555 
3,487 
1,542 

3,531 
1,482 
3,686 
1,466 
2,740 
1,631 

1690 

1705 
1717 

1789 
1800 
1825 

1837 
1838  0.  S. 

N.S. 

1849  0.  S. 

N.S. 
1859  0.  s. 

N.S. 
i860  0.  s. 

N.S. 
1862  0.  S. 

N.S. 
1869  0.  S. 

N.S. 

1,000 

1,500 

3,000 

18,000 

20,000 

122,382 

220,557 

177,665 

100,850 

200,830 

139,047 
279,630 

137,990 
292,927 

134,933 
303,289 
135,454 
258,903 
172,560 

^852 

2,500 

12,517 

281,989 

369,371 

764,668 
266,574 
657,412 

250.577 
319,761 
208,842 

1,346,179 
753,953 

*  The  writer  of  this  chapter  was  chairman  of  the  Executive  Committefc 
of  the  Interchurch  Conference  of  1905,  which  conducted  the  negotiations 
resulting  in  the  organization  of  the  Federal  Council,  and  was  chairman  of 
the  Executive  Committee  of  that  body  for  its  first  quadrennium. — The 
Editor. 


PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.  A.    107 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  U.  S.  A.,  1640  to  1915 
(  Continued  ) 


Year 

Minis- 
ters 

Churches 

Communi- 
cants 

Benevolent 
Contribu- 
tions 

1870 

4,238 

4,526 

446,561 

2,023,956 

1880 

5»o44 

5,489 

578,671 

2,262,871 

1890 

6,158 

6,894 

775.903 

4,286,180 

1895 

6,797 

7,496 

922,904 

3.637.105 

1900 

7,467 

7.750 

1,007,689 

3,602,883 

1901 

7.532 

7.779 

1,025,388 

4,111,959 

1902 

7,617 

7.748 

1,045,338 

4,419,809 

1903 

7,703 

7,822 

1,067,477 

4,557,478 

1904 

7,762 

7,933 

1,094,908 

4,643.745 

1905 

7,750 

7,980 

1,115,662 

5.155.228 

1906 

7,848 

9,118 

1,158,662 

6,329,237 

1907 

9,031 

11,082 

1,341,492 

5.785,637 

1908 

8,951 

10,017 

1,300,329 

5,869,105 

1909 

9,023 

9,997 

1,321,386 

5,806,511 

1910 

9,073 

10,011 

1,339.000 

6,135.982 

1911 

9,128 

10,051 

1.354,453 

7.768,943 

1912 

9.274 

10,030 

1,380,058 

7.113.273 

1913 

9,410 

10,090 

1,415,872 

7,278,758 

1914 

9.536 

10,130 

1,458,085 

7,725,935 

1915 

9,685 

9,996 

1,513,240 

7,952,900 

II.     Doctrine 

The  Churches  holding  to  the  Presbyterian  polity  have  de- 
veloped in  the  course  of  their  history  such  a  natural  relation  to 
one  great  type  of  Christian  doctrine  that  the  words  Calvinistic 
and  Presbyterian  are  to  a  large  extent  synonymous. 

The  controlling  idea  of  the  Presbyterian  or  Calvinistic 
system  of  thought,  both  theoretically  and  practically,  is  the 
doctrine  of  the  unconditioned  sovereignty  of  God.  By  this 
sovereignty  is  meant  the  absolute  control  of  the  universe  in  all 
that  it  contains,  whether  visible  or  invisible  things,  by  the  one 
supreme,  eternal,  omniscient,  omnipresent  and  omnipotent 
Spirit,  for  wise,  just,  holy  and  loving  ends,  known  fully  alone 
to  Himself.  This  divine  sovereignty  finds  practical  expression 
in  the  Presbyterian  system  through  its  organizing  principle,  the 
sovereignty  of  the  Word  of  God  as  the  supreme  and  infallible 


108     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUI^CIL 

rule  of  faith  and  practice.  The  Presbyterian  system  accepts 
and  incorporates,  as  a  perpetual  binding  obligation,  only  those 
principles  and  regulations  which  can  be  proved  to  have  a  divine 
warrant. 

Since  1729  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  and  Cate- 
chisms have  been  the  doctrinal  standards  of  the  Church,  with 
the  exception  that  the  chapters  dealing  with  the  civil  magis- 
trates and  the  state  were  modified  in  1729  and  1788,  so  as  to 
conform  to  the  American  doctrine  of  the  absolute  separation  of 
the  Church  from  control  by  the  State.  In  1903  the  Confession 
was  revised  in  several  particulars,  and  chapters  thirty-four  and 
thirty-five  were  added,  respectively  on  "The  Holy  Spirit," 
and  "The  Love  of  God  and  Missions."  The  revision  ac- 
complished in  1903  was  for  the  expressed  purpose  of  the  dis- 
avowal of  certain  inferences  drawn  by  persons  outside  the 
Church  as  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  on  God's  eternal 
decree,  the  love  of  God  for  all  mankind,  and  His  readiness  to 
bestow  His  saving  grace  on  all  who  seek  it.  The  Church  also 
then  officially  declared  that  all  persons  dying  in  infancy  are 
included  in  the  election  of  grace,  and  are  regenerated  and 
saved  by  Christ  through  the  Spirit,  "  who  works  when  and 
where  and  how  He  pleases."  The  great  majority  of  the  min- 
isters and  members  accept  heartily  the  Church's  doctrinal  stand- 
ards as  containing  the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  Holy  Scripture. 

III.     Government 

The  administrative  or  governmental  Standards  of  the  Church 
were  adopted  by  the  General  Synod  in  1788,  and  consist  of  a 
Form  of  Government,  Book  of  Discipline,  and  Directory  for 
Worship.  These  Standards  have  been  from  time  to  time 
amended  and  modified,  though  they  are  still  substantially  as 
first  adopted.  Prior  to  1788,  Stewart  of  Pardovan's  Collec- 
tions of  the  Laws  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  were  accepted  as 
authoritative. 

The  Presbyterian   Polity,  or  government,  as  expressed  in 


PEESBYTERIAN  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.  A.    109 

these  Standards,  it  is  maintained,  finds  clear  warrant  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  One  of  its  chief  sources  was  the  Jewish 
ecclesiastical  system  of  the  time  of  Christ,  excluding  the 
priestly  element.  The  general  features  of  this  system  were, 
it  is  believed,  adopted  by  the  primitive  Christian  Church, 
modified  in  matters  of  detail  by  apostolic  authority.  The 
elders  of  the  synagogue  became  the  elders  of  the  Christian 
congregation  (Acts  xiv.  23)  ;  the  chief  ruler  of  the  synagogue 
was  probably  reproduced  in  the  episcopos  or  parochial  bishop ; 
the  local  sanhedrin  was  modified  and  established  as  the  presby- 
tery ;  and  the  Great  Sanhedrin  was  the  prototype  of  synods, 
general  assemblies,  and  councils. 

The  principles  of  the  government  of  the  New  Testament 
Church,  as  applied  in  Presbyterian  Government,  result  in 
views  of  the  Church,  her  officers  and  judicatories  as  follows  ; 
the  universal  Church  consists  of  all  persons  who  profess  the 
true  religion,  together  with  their  children ;  the  power  of  the 
Church  is  simply  declarative  and  spiritual ;  there  is  but  one 
order  in  the  ministry ;  ruling  elders,  elected  by  the  congrega- 
tions, are  united  in  the  government  of  the  churches  with  min- 
isters ;  and  the  temporal  affairs  are  managed  by  deacons  or 
trustees.  The  judicatories  or  church  courts  in  successive  order 
are  (i)  the  Session,  governing  the  particular  church,  and  con- 
sisting of  the  pastor  and  the  ruling  elders  ;  (2)  the  Presbytery, 
governing  all  the  congregations  within  a  limited  territory,  and 
consisting  of  all  the  ministers  and  one  elder  from  each  congre- 
gation j  (3)  the  Synod,  consisting  of  at  least  three  presby- 
teries, exercising  supervisory  authority  over  both  presbyteries 
and  congregations,  and  consisting  of  both  ministers  and  elders, 
and  (4)  the  General  Assembly,  having  supervisory  power  over 
the  general  interests  of  the  whole  denomination,  and  constitu- 
ting the  bond  of  union,  peace  and  confidence.  The  power 
of  these  church  courts  is  both  legislative,  executive  and  judicial, 
and  the  higher  courts  have  authority  over  the  lower  courts,  in 
accord^nc?  with  the  terms  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Church. 


110     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

The  Presbyterian  Church  holds  that  the  terms  of  admission 
of  members  into  the  visible  church  are  the  same  as  the  con- 
ditions of  salvation  revealed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  viz.  :  be- 
lief on  the  part  of  the  applicant  in  one  God,  the  Father,  Son 
and  Holy  Spirit,  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
divine  and  all-sufficient  Saviour,  joined  with  the  declaration 
of  a  sincere  purpose  to  lead  a  life  acceptable  to  God  in  Jesus 
Christ.  No  church  has  a  right  either  to  add  to  or  take  from 
these  terms  or  conditions.  Church  members  as  to  their  con- 
duct are  under  the  control  of  the  Session  of  the  particular 
church,  providing,  however,  that  every  member  deeming  him- 
self aggrieved  may  appeal  or  complain  to  a  higher  court. 

IV.     Worship 

Presbyterian  worship  is  based  as  to  its  character  on  the  facts 
that  a  human  priesthood  is  unknown  to  the  New  Testament  and 
that  the  only  priest  of  the  new  dispensation  is  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Ministers  are  not  priests,  but  preachers.  Sacerdotal- 
ism, therefore,  whether  in  connection  with  the  sacraments,  or 
enforced  liturgies,  or  priestly  vestments,  has  no  place  in  the 
worship  of  the  Presbyterian  churches.  The  sacraments  are 
simply  ordinances,  wherein  by  sensible  signs  Christ  and  His 
benefits  ''are  represented,  sealed,  and  applied  to  believers.'* 
Prayer  is  the  free  intercourse  of  the  soul  with  God,  and  is 
therefore  to  be  voluntary.  Ministers  are  not  mediators  be- 
tween God  and  man,  possessed  of  a  delegated  divine  authority 
to  forgive  sins,  but  simply  leaders  of  the  people  in  all  that  con- 
stitutes the  worship  of  and  fellowship  with  the  triune  God. 
True  worshipers  worship  the  Father  neither  in  Samaria  nor  in 
Jerusalem,  but  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  God  is  nigh  to  every 
penitent  and  believing  soul. 

By  its  doctrine  the  Presbyterian  Church  honors  the  divine 
sovereignty  without  denying  human  responsibility;  by  its 
polity  it  exalts  the  headship  of  Christ  while  giving  full  de- 
velopment to  the  activities  of  the  Christian  people ;  and  in  its 


PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.  A.    Ill 

worship  it  magnifies  God  while  it  brings  blessing  to  man,  by 
insisting  upon  the  right  of  free  access  on  the  part  of  every  soul 
to  Him  whose  grace  cannot  be  fettered  in  its  ministrations  by 
any  human  ordinances  whatsoever. 

V.  General  Statements 
The  missionary,  evangelistic  and  benevolent  work  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  is  conducted  by  nine  boards,  the  names 
of  which,  with  the  dates  of  organization,  are  as  follows  :  Home 
Missions,  1816;  Education,  1819  ;  Foreign  Missions,  1837; 
Publication,  1838  ;  Church  Erection,  1844;  Ministerial  Relief, 
185s;  Freedmen,  1865;  Colleges,  1883;  Temperance,  1912. 
The  total  contributions  to  these  great  causes  in  191 4  amounted 

to  ^7>725,935- 

The  theological  seminaries  for  the  training  of  ministers  were 
established  as  follows  :  Princeton,  N.  J.,  1812  ;  Auburn,  N.  Y., 
1819;  Western,  Allegheny,  Pa.,  1827  ;  Lane,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
1829;  McCormick,  Chicago,  111.,  1830;  Kentucky,  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  1853 ;  German,  Dubuque,  Iowa,  1856  ;  Biddle  (for 
colored  students),  Charlotte,  N.  C,  1868;  German,  Bloom- 
field,  N.  J.,  1869;  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  1871  ;  Lincoln  (for 
colored  students),  Pa.,  187 1  ;  and  Omaha,  Neb.,  1894.  The 
statistics  of  the  seminaries  for  191 5  are  as  follows  :  professors, 
88;  other  teachers,  38;  students,  817;  total  endowments, 
^^12,297,633. 

The  whole  Church  reports  for  1915  39  synods,  292  pres- 
byteries, 9,685  ministers,  42,205  elders,  9,996  churches, 
1,513,240  communicants,  and  contributions  for  all  purposes, 
$27,785,036. 

The  records  of  the  Church  are  complete  from  the  beginning, 
and  consist  of  the  records  of  the  General  Presbytery,  1 706-1 7 1 6, 
of  the  General  Synod,  171 7-1 788,  and  of  the  General  Assembly, 
1 789-1914,  each  in  printed  form.  The  Minutes  of  the  General 
Assembly  and  the  Reports  of  the  Missionary  and  Benevolent 
Boards  are  issued  annually. 


112     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  Home  Missions  of  the  Church  have  been  continuously 
upon  the  frontier  of  the  advancing  civilization  of  the  American 
people.  The  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Church  are  found  in 
fifteen  different  countries,  and  have  in  the  churches  connected 
with  them  133,713  members,  and  154,139  Sabbath-school 
scholars.  These  are  not  included  as  a  rule  in  the  church 
statistics.  The  Presbyterian  Churches  of  Brazil,  China,  India, 
Korea,  Mexico  and  the  Philippines  are  daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Church.  The  latter  Church  was  made  independent  in 
1 914,  and  accounts  for  the  seeming  decrease  in  number  of 
churches  in  1915. 

The  ministers  and  congregations  of  the  Church  have  been 
steadily  essential  factors  in  securing  the  moral  and  spiritual  as 
well  as  the  material  welfare  of  the  Republic.  Their  influence 
has  been  decided  upon  the  political  interests  of  the  land,  for 
both  the  Church  and  the  nation  are  direct  products  of  the  same 
great  reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century.  The  Church  has 
furnished  Revolutionary  leaders,  such  as  John  Witherspoon, 
and  also  Presidents  of  the  United  States,  such  as  Andrew 
Jackson,  Abraham  Lincoln,  Benjamin  Harrison,  Grover  Cleve- 
land and  Woodrow  Wilson.  In  heathen  and  other  lands  the 
Church  has  exerted  a  quiet  but  mighty  influence  in  elevating 
the  standards  of  morality,  in  sanctifying  the  family  relation,  in 
introducing  the  element  of  fraternity  into  human  relations,  and 
above  all  in  bringing  to  bear  upon  great  masses  of  men  and 
women  the  divine  power  which  accompanies  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  Records  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  1705-178  8,"  with  the 
Minutes  of  the  General  Convention,  1 766-1 777,  and 
Indexes,  edited  by  Rev.  William  H.  Roberts,  D.  D. 
8  vo.,  Iviii.,  248.     Phila.,  1904. 

*♦  Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  U.  S.  A.,  1 789-191 5."     8  vo.,  53  vols. 


PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.  A.    113 

"The  Presbyterian  Digest,  1907,"  complied  by  Wm.  E. 
Moore,  D.  D.,  with  Supplement,  1 898-1906,  by  Wm. 
H.  Roberts,  D.  D.     8  vo.,  pp.  Ixi.,  1,190.     Phila. 

E.  H.  Gillett,  *«  History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church."  8  vo.. 
2  vols.     New  York,  1873. 

C.  A.  Briggs,  "American  Presbyterianism."  8  vo.,  cxliii., 
373.     New  York,  1885. 

R.  C.  Reed,  D.  D.,  "  History  of  the  Presbyterian  Churches 
of  the  World."      12  mo.,  pp.  408.      Phila.,  1912. 

William  H.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  "  Manual  for  Ruling  Elders  and 
Other  Church  Officers."  12  mo.,  pp.  477.  Phila., 
1914. 

Charles  L.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  *'  History  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States."  8  vo.,  pp.  424.  New 
York,  1895. 

Robert  E.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  "  The  Story  of  the  Churches. 
The  Presbyterian  Church."  12  mo.,  pp.  312.  New 
York,  1903. 

E.  W.  Smith,  D.  D.,  "The  Creed  of  Presbyterians."  12 
mo.,  pp.  223.      Phila. 

Thomas  Murphy,  D.  D.,  "  The  Presbytery  of  the  Log 
College  or  the  Cradle  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
America."     8  vo.,  pp.  526.      Phila. 

J.  A.  Hodge,  D.  D.,  "What  is  Presbyterian  Law."  12 
mo.,  pp.  606.      Phila. 

Robert  E.  Thompson,  "  The  Historic  Episcopate."  12  mo., 
pp.  317.      Phila.,  191 3. 

William  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,  "  Presbyterians  and  the  Revolu- 
tion."     16  mo.,  pp.  205.      Phila.,  1876. 

Charles  Hodge,  "  Systematic  Theology."  8  vo.,  3  vols. 
New  York. 

Henry  B.  Smith,  "  Christian  Theology."  8  vo.,  pp.  630. 
New  York,  1886. 

A.  A.  Hodge,  "  Outlines  of  Theology."  8  vo.,  pp.  522. 
New  York,  1883. 


XV 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States 


O 


(i)  ^^^\  RIGIN.  This  Church  owes  its  existence  to  the 
strife  which  divided  the  country  in  1861.  Previ- 
ous to  that  time  it  had  been  a  part  of  the  Old 
School  Presbyterian  Church.  When  the  General  Assembly 
met  in  May,  1861,  seven  Southern  States  had  already  passed 
ordinances  of  secession  and  had  organized  a  new  government. 
The  delegates,  who  composed  the  Assembly,  were  divided  in 
their  allegiance.  The  atmosphere  was  charged  with  political 
excitement,  and  during  the  proceedings  of  the  Assembly  a 
paper  was  introduced  by  Dr.  Gardiner  Spring  of  New  York 
pledging  the  Assembly  to  the  support  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment at  Washington,  D.  C.  A  protest  was  entered  by 
Dr.  Charles  Hodge  against  this  action  on  the  ground  that 
"the  General  Assembly  had  no  right  to  decide  the  political 
question  to  what  government  the  allegiance  of  Presbyterians, 
as  citizens,  is  due,  and  to  make  that  decision  a  condition  of 
membership  in  our  Church." 

The  Presbyterians  of  the  South,  sympathizing  with  the  views 
of  Dr.  Hodge,  severed  their  connections  with  the  Old  School 
Assembly,  and  proceeded  by  orderly  steps  to  organize  a  separate 
Church.  Delegates  appointed  by  forty-seven  presbyteries  met 
in  Augusta,  Ga.,  on  the  nth  day  of  December,  1861,  and 
constituted  a  new  Assembly,  electing  Rev.  Benjamin  M. 
Palmer,  D.  D.,  Moderator,  and  Rev.  Joseph  R.  Wilson,  D.  D., 
Stated  Clerk.  This  first  Assembly  published  an  address  to  the 
Churches  of  Jesus  Christ  throughout  the  world  giving  two  rea- 
sons for  the  course  taken.  Separation  was  (a)  necessary  in  the 
interest  of  peace  and  Christian  charity ;  and  (/^)  it  was  accord- 

114 


PEESBYTERIAN  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.    116 

ing  to  historic  precedent  to  make  the  limit  of  the  Church 
correspond  with  the  limit  of  the  nation.  A  new  national 
organization  logically  involved  a  new  church  organization. 

(2)  Method  of  Growth.  The  forty-seven  presbyteries 
forming  the  new  Assembly  contained  about  sixty-five  thousand 
white  communicants.  During  the  four  years  of  war,  the  Church 
shared  the  disastrous  fortunes  of  the  country.  Its  energies  were 
expended  in  keeping  alive  the  things  that  remained  that  were 
ready  to  die,  and  in  furnishing  chaplains  for  the  armies.  Its 
only  means  of  growth  in  this  period  was  by  accretions.  In 
1863  the  Independent  Presbyterian  Church,  a  small  brother- 
hood in  North  and  South  Carolina,  was  received  into  the 
Southern  Assembly.  The  same  year  a  union  was  effected  with 
the  United  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  a  communion 
of  about  12,000  members  which  had  separated  from  the  New 
School  Assembly  in  1858  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  In  1867, 
two  presbyteries  were  received  from  the  Associate  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  one  from  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  of  America.  The  next  year,  the  Synod  of 
Kentucky  transferred  its  membership  from  the  Northern  to  the 
Southern  Assembly,  and  in  1874  a  large  part  of  the  Synod  of 
Missouri  did  likewise.  The  absorption  of  these  various  bodies 
brought  in  about  282  ministers,  490  churches,  and  35,600 
communicants.  After  these  unions  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  United  States  embraced  the  vast  majority  of  all  the 
Presbyterians  from  the  Potomac  River  to  the  Rio  Grande,  and 
from  the  Ohio  River  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  has  ever  since 
constituted  a  remarkably  homogeneous  and  harmonious  body. 

(3)  Missionary  Work.  The  Church  did  not  wait  to  recover 
from  the  desolations  of  the  war  before  beginning  to  recognize 
in  a  practical  way  its  duty  and  privilege  to  take  part  in  world- 
wide evangelization.  It  planted  its  first  mission  on  foreign  soil 
in  Brazil  in  1869.  Since  that  time,  with  growing  strength  it 
has  constantly  enlarged  its  work,  until  now  it  is  sustaining 
prosperous  missions  in  seven  countries,  viz. — Brazil,  Mexico, 


116     CHUECHES  OF  THE  PEDEBAL  COUNCIL 

China,  Japan,  Korea,  Africa,  and  Cuba.  The  Church  sup- 
ports on  the  foreign  field  335  missionaries  besides  a  large 
number  of  native  workers.  Its  income  for  this  cause  for  the 
year  1914  was  ^^561, 179,  an  average  per  member  of  ^1.80. 

An  extensive  Home  Mission  work  is  prosecuted  with  great 
and  growing  vigor.  The  largest  field  of  operations  is  on  the 
western  borders  of  Texas,  Arkansas  and  Oklahoma.  But  a 
work  of  increasing  interest  is  rapidly  developing  among  eleven 
different  nationalities  of  the  immigrant  population  scattered 
throughout  the  mining  regions  and  cities  of  the  South.  The 
total  expenditure  of  the  Church  for  its  Home  Mission  work  in 
1914  was  ^480,971. 

(4)  Other  Agencies.  The  Church  conducts  a  publishing 
business  with  headquarters  in  Richmond,  Va.,  owning  its 
own  plant  valued  at  ^150,000.  In  connection  with  this  is 
a  Sabbath  School  Department  which  furnishes  a  splendid 
literature  for  use  in  the  Sabbath  School,  and  also  publishes 
The  Missionary  Survey ,  a  magazine  covering  all  the  various 
departments  of  the  Church's  benevolent  activities.  Linked 
with  the  work  in  Richmond  is  a  book  depository  at  Texarkana, 
Tex.  The  volume  of  business  for  1914  amounted  to  ^^227,- 
475,  yielding  a  net  income  of  $11,307. 

Ministerial  Education  and  Relief  are  combined  under  one 
executive  agency  at  Louisville,  Ky.  There  are  at  present  513 
candidates  for  the  ministry  in  the  schools  of  the  Church. 
Many  of  these  are  aided  through  a  beneficiary  fund  which  has 
an  annual  income  of  about  $30,000. 

The  Church  is  raising  an  endowment  fund  of  $500,000  for 
aiding  infirm  ministers  and  dependent  families  of  deceased 
ministers.  Of  this  amount  $323,000  is  in  hand,  and  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  the  whole  sum  will  speedily  be  com- 
pleted. 

Until  recently  a  distinct  work  was  carried  on  for  the  colored 
people,  but  this  has  been  placed  in  the  general  category  of 
home  missionary  work.     There  are  two  general  lines  of  activity 


PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  m  THE  U.  S.    117 

in  behalf  of  the  negroes.  One  is  school  work,  and  the  other  is 
mission  work,  usually  conducted  by  individual  congregations. 
Stillman  Institute,  named  in  honor  of  Rev.  C.  A.  Still- 
man,  D.  D.,  in  testimony  of  his  great  interest  in  the  colored 
people,  is  prospering  at  Tuscaloosa,  Ala.  A  number  of  the 
students  trained  in  this  school  are  laboring  with  marked  success 
in  the  Congo  Free  State,  Africa.  Many  Sunday-schools  are 
established  and  manned  by  white  churches.  Two  colored 
presbyteries,  one  in  Alabama  and  one  in  Mississippi,  are  in  con- 
nection with  the  General  Assembly  of  this  Church.  They  per- 
sist in  maintaining  this  connection,  notwithstanding  the  General 
Assembly  has  advised  their  withdrawal,  thinking  they  might  de- 
velop more  rapidly  and  more  normally  if  they  would  undertake 
to  stand  alone.  Sensible  of  their  need  of  the  nourishing  care, 
and  the  wise  supervision  of  the  Assembly,  they  will  not  listen  to 
a  separation. 

(5)  Theological  and  Other  Schools.  The  Church  has  five 
seminaries  for  training  ministers,  viz. — Union  Seminary,  Rich- 
mond, Va. ;  Columbia  Seminary,  Columbia,  S.  C. ;  the  Divinity 
Department  of  the  Southwestern  Presbyterian  University,  Clarks- 
ville,  Tenn. ;  the  Texas  Theological  Seminary,  Austin,  Tex.  ; 
and  the  Louisville  Seminary,  Louisville,  Ky.  This  last  is  jointly 
owned  by  the  four  synods  in  Kentucky  and  Missouri,  two  of 
which  are  in  connection  with  the  Northern  Presbyterian  Church 
and  the  other  two  are  in  connection  with  the  Southern  Church. 

Besides  these  theological  seminaries,  there  are  within  the 
General  Assembly,  under  control  of  the  various  sessions,  pres- 
byteries and  synods,  twenty-seven  colleges,  twenty  academies, 
thirty-one  mountain  schools,  and  twelve  orphans'  homes  and 
schools.  These  schools  have  under  their  tuition  10,346  pupils, 
employ  733  teachers,  own  402  buildings,  and  have  in  their 
libraries  237,744  books.  The  property  value  of  all  the  schools, 
including  the  theological  seminaries,  is  ^7,285,506,  and  the 
aggregate  endowments  are  ^3,899,979. 

The  specific  causes  which  gave  birth  to  this  Church  have 


118     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

long  since  passed  away.  The  relations  between  it  and  the 
Church  of  which  it  once  formed  a  part  are  of  the  most  cordial 
character,  enabling  them  to  cooperate  in  many  forms  of  Chris- 
tian service.  Both  Churches,  however,  have  undergone  con- 
siderable modifications,  and  these  furnish  to  the  minds  of  many 
sufficient  reasons  to  justify  continued  separation.  It  is  believed 
that  by  maintaining  an  independent  existence  the  Southern 
Church,  without  weakening  the  bond  of  love  and  of  inner 
spiritual  unity  which  binds  it  closely  to  all  evangelical  Churches, 
can  bear  a  more  effective  testimony  to  certain  principles  which 
it  greatly  prizes — such  principles,  for  example,  as  strict  con- 
struction in  the  use  of  creeds ;  the  exclusively  spiritual  mission 
of  the  Church;  and  the  absolute  authority  of  the  Bible  as  the 
infallible  word  of  God.  In  a  word,  the  Church  believes  that 
it  owes  a  duty  to  doctrinal  conservatism  which  it  can  best  dis- 
charge by  maintaining  its  autonomy. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

The  author  has  written  a  book  on  the  history  of  the  Presby- 
terian Churches  of  the  world,  and  one  chapter  is  devoted 
to  our  Southern  Church. 

He  has  also  written  a  sketch  which  is  published  in  the  "  New 
Schaff-Herzog  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge." 
Apart  from  these  sketches  there  is  nothing  recent. 

The  only  elaborate  history  of  our  Church  is  by  Rev.  Thomas 
C.  Johnson,  D.  D.,  published  by  the  Christian  Literature 
Company,  New  York,  in  1 894,  and  a  work  of  distinct 
merit. 


XVI 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church  of 
North  America 

THE  United  Presbyterian  branch  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  America  is  of  greater  age  than  at  first 
appears.  Though  constituted  in  1858,  its  ancestry 
on  this  continent  goes  back  more  than  a  hundred  years  earher 
to  the  colonial  period.  It  descends  from  two  Presbyterian 
bodies  in  Scotland  which  are  conspicuous  in  the  religious  his- 
tory of  that  land. 

By  one  line  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  issues  from  the 
Covenanters  of  the  seventeenth  century,  whose  contendings  and 
sufferings  in  behalf  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  and  liberty  of 
conscience  will  live  forever  among  the  heroic  traditions  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  Almost  destroyed  at  the  disastrous  battle 
of  Bothwell  Bridge,  the  Covenanters  maintained  their  existence 
and  fellowship,  under  a  relentless  persecution,  by  societies  for 
Bible  study  and  prayer.  When  Presbyterianism  was  estab- 
lished again  by  the  Revolution  of  1688,  the  great  majority  of 
the  Covenanter  connection  refused  to  accept  the  ecclesiastical 
settlement  then  made,  because  it  acknowledged  the  king  as  the 
supreme  earthly  head  of  the  Church  and  ignored  some  of  the 
most  memorable  attainments  of  the  past.  Under  a  strong  con- 
viction of  duty  they  elected  to  stand  outside  the  General 
Assembly,  and,  at  length,  in  1743  they  were  organized  as  the 
Reformed  Presbytery. 

Large  numbers  of  these  testifying  people  came  to  America 
during  the  persecuting  reigns  of  the  Stuarts.  Very  many  more 
came  afterward.     In  1751  the  Rev.  John  Cuthbertson,  sent  by 

119 


120     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland,  landed  in  this 
country  and  took  up  an  itinerant  ministry  among  the  scattered 
groups  of  Covenanters  in  Pennsylvania.  A  presbytery  was 
formed  on  March  lo,  1774,  at  Paxtang,  near  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

By  another  line,  the  main  one,  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  is  descended  from  the  Associate  Church  in  Scotland. 
While  those  in  whom  the  covenanting  spirit  burned  did  not 
enter  the  National  Church,  there  were  some  very  like  them 
who  grew  up  among  its  adherents.  It  was  not  long  until  this 
element  was  confronted  with  the  rapid  progress  of  unsoundness 
in  the  Church  and  with  grave  wrongs  in  its  administration. 
The  doctrines  of  grace  were  coming  to  be  slighted,  being  re- 
placed by  the  teaching  of  a  barren  morality  and  a  rationalistic 
view  of  the  deity  of  Christ.  Moreover,  the  yoke  of  patronage 
weighed  heavily.  This  consisted  in  the  appointment  of  pastors 
on  the  mere  nomination  of  titled  lay  patrons  who  were  land- 
owners. Often  no  regard  was  paid  the  membership  in  the 
choice;  and  sometimes  unworthy  and  obnoxious  men  were 
forced  upon  the  people  in  spite  of  their  earnest  remonstrance. 
This  state  of  things  led  to  the  formation  of  the  Associate 
Church.  A  group  of  evangelical  men  in  the  Establishment 
preached  and  protested  against  prevailing  corruptions  and  the 
grievance  of  patronage.  For  this  they  were  subjected  to  dis- 
cipline. Failing  to  find  redress  they  seceded,  and  in  1733 
formed  the  Associate  Presbytery.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
the  Secession  Church,  which  has  had  a  marked  influence  on 
the  life,  thought,  and  literature  of  the  Scottish  nation.  The 
movement  grew  rapidly.  Soon  it  was  extended  to  America, 
where,  at  "some  point  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  valley  of  the 
Susquehanna,  the  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  was  organized 
on  November  2,  1753,  ^^^^»  some  years  later,  in  May,  1776, 
the  Presbytery  of  New  York. 

These  two  kindred  Churches,  the  Associate  and  the  Re- 
formed Presbyterian,  now  transplanted  to  American  soil,  had 
so  much  in  common  that,  in  the  new  circumstances  in  which 


THE  UNITED  PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH     121 

they  were  placed,  they  drew  nearer  each  other.  They  were 
pervaded  by  the  spirit  of  the  revolution  against  Great  Britain, 
and  felt  the  necessity  for  a  Church  entirely  independent  of  for- 
eign control  and  free  to  adapt  itself  to  American  conditions. 
Beginning  in  1777,  conferences  were  held,  and  at  last,  on 
June  15,  1782,  the  Associate  Reformed  Church  came  into  ex- 
istence, the  name  adopted  being  commemorative  of  its  origin. 

This  step,  instead  of  blotting  out  previous  divisions,  as  had 
been  fondly  hoped,  multiplied  the  number  of  Churches,  mak- 
ing three  instead  of  one.  All  of  the  organized  Covenanter  con- 
gregations and  their  pastors  went  cordially  into  the  union,  but 
most  of  the  little  isolated  societies  of  this  faith  did  not.  Min- 
isters from  the  Scotch  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  came  to 
the  aid  of  the  dissenting  remnant,  and  the  Covenanter  Church 
in  America  was  rebuilt.  There  were  Associate  Presbyterians 
also  who  stood  aloof  from  the  union  of  1782.  They  objected 
that  it  did  not  do  justice  to  the  Associate  Testimony  in  some 
matters  and  that  the  mother  Church  in  Scotland  had  not  been 
consulted.  In  consequence,  the  Associate  Church  continued, 
and  soon  filled  up  its  depleted  ranks  through  Scotch  and 
Scotch-Irish  immigration.  Until  18 18  it  was  under  the  over- 
sight of  the  Associate  Synod  of  Scotland,  though  this  was  little 
more  than  nominal ;  thereafter  the  tie  was  simply  fraternal ;  in 
1852  all  relation  ended. 

The  Associate  and  the  Associate  Reformed  Churches  were 
blessed  and  prospered.  Guided  by  the  drift  of  population, 
they  pushed  into  the  new  territory  that  had  been  opened  up 
west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  and  congregations  were 
formed  more  rapidly  than  they  could  be  furnished  with  pastoral 
workers.  Both  Churches  had  high  ideals  as  to  an  educated 
ministry.  Accordingly  the  Associate  Church  in  1794  es- 
tablished a  theological  seminary  at  Service,  Beaver  County,  Pa. 
It  was  the  second  denomination  of  the  land  to  take  such  action, 
having  been  preceded  by  the  Dutcli  Reformed  Church.  In 
1805   the  Associate  Reformed  Church  founded  a  seminary  in 


122     CHUKCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

New  York  City,  the  third  oldest  in  the  United  States.  In  pro- 
viding for  the  needed  supply  of  competent  ministers  other 
theological  institutions,  and  also  collegiate,  were  planted  from 
time  to  time.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  two  Churches 
were  greatly  occupied  with  home  missions,  owing  to  the  number 
of  destitute  places  urgently  applying  for  aid,  they  developed  an 
early  interest  in  foreign  work.  This  led  ultimately  to  the  loca- 
tion of  a  mission  in  the  Punjab,  India,  by  the  Associate  Church 
and  of  stations  in  Syria  and  Egypt  by  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church. 

The  Associate  and  Associate  Reformed  Churches  existed 
apart  for  three-quarters  of  a  century.  Yet  there  was  no  "  mid- 
dle wall  of  partition  "  between  them.  They  were  alike  in 
doctrine,  worship,  government  and  discipline,  the  only  points 
in  dispute  being  of  a  minor  nature.  The  hurtfulness  and 
wrong  of  separation  becoming  deeply  felt,  negotiations  were 
inaugurated  looking  toward  making  the  two  Churches  one. 
Finally,  in  1856,  the  Associate  Synod  proposed  a  basis  of 
union  which  was  accepted  by  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod 
in  1857,  and  on  May  26,  1858,  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  the  union 
was  consummated  formally.  The  organization  into  which  the 
two  Churches  were  then  brought  was  called  "  The  United 
Presbyterian  Church  of  North  America,"  the  idea  of  union 
being  incorporated  in  the  title.  This  union  was  not  the  birth 
of  a  new  Church,  properly  speaking.  It  was  but  the  reorganiz- 
ing of  two  closely  related  Churches  of  common  history.  The 
Associate  and  the  Associate  Reformed  Churches  live  on  in  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church.  What  was  distinctive  in  their 
views  and  usages  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  continued  to 
hold  dear ;  their  colleges,  seminaries,  and  foreign  missions  it 
inherited  ;  their  traditions  and  records  it  proudly  appropriated 
as  its  own. 

In  agreement  with  the  union  contract,  the  United  Presby^ 
lerian  Church  adopted  the  Westminster  Confession  and 
Catechisms,  the  venerable  creed  of  English-speaking  Presbyte- 


THE  UNITED  PRESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH    123 

rianism,  but  with  the  Confession  revised  on  the  subject  of  civil 
magistrates,  so  as  to  assert  clearly  the  entire  spiritual  independ- 
ence of  the  Church.  There  was  framed  a  distinguishing 
Testimony  also  of  eighteen  articles,  containing  the  declarations 
of  doctrine  and  order  on  which  it  was  desired  that  emphasis  be 
laid.  This  Testimony  and  the  other  standards  named  continue 
unamended  substantially.  Subscription  thereto,  however,  while 
prescribed  for  those  admitted  to  the  ministry  and  eldership,  is 
no  longer  asked  from  the  rank  and  file  of  the  Church ;  the 
present  membership  covenant  confines  itself  to  an  avowal  of 
belief  in  the  Scriptures  as  the  Word  of  God,  the  infallible  and 
only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  together  with  the  engagements 
by  which  one  is  committed  to  the  Christian  life. 

A  survey  of  its  witnessing  principles  will  show  that  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church  cherishes  sound  experimental  views 
of  religion,  and  particularly  that  it  places  heavy  stress  on  the 
old  pillar  doctrines  of  grace.  It  affirms  the  sufficiency  and 
fullness  of  the  provisions  God  has  made  for  the  need  of  a  fallen 
race  through  the  atoning  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Eternal  and 
Only-begotten  Son,  and  the  renewing  and  sanctifying  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Echoing  its  Associate  forefathers,  it  teaches 
that  the  Gospel  contains  a  free,  unlimited  offer  of  salvation  to 
all  sinners  alike. 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church  is  known  for  its  insistence 
upon  the  plenary,  verbal  inspiration  of  the  Bible.  This  it 
esteems  to  be  a  truth  of  the  first  magnitude.  Its  strong,  un- 
faltering declaration  is  that  the  sacred  books  of  canonical  Scrip- 
ture are  on  every  page  the  product  of  divine  causality,  and  are 
our  one  inerrant  and  authoritative  source  for  the  knowledge  of 
the  revelation  of  God  made  to  men. 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church  is  an  earnest  advocate  of 
the  kingly  claims  of  Jesus  Christ  as  Mediator,  pleading  for  an 
ampler  recognition  of  His  headship  in  the  Church  and  for  His 
coronation  as  the  Ruler  of  nations.  The  undivided  dominion 
of  Christ  over  the  Church  was  that  for  which  both  lines  of 


/ 


124     CHUECHES  OF  THF  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Scottish  ancestry  battled,  and  it  abides  true  to  the  memorable 
past  in  maintaining  that  Christ  alone  appoints  ordinances  in 
the  Church  and  legislates  for  it.  Moreover,  together  with 
Covenanting  brethren  it  proclaims  the  sovereignty  of  Christ  in 
civil  government,  and  stands  for  the  settlement  of  all  moral 
questions  in  national  and  community  life  by  His  revealed  will. 
The  enthronement  of  Jesus  as  Lord  of  all  is,  therefore,  a 
denominational  watchword. 

Another  feature  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  is  its  em- 
ployment of  the  Psalms  of  the  Bible  in  the  direct  praise  of 
God,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  uninspired  compositions.  It  de- 
clares that  the  immortal  songs  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  their 
measured  language  of  religious  feeling  and  devotion,  are  the 
only  songs  divinely  intended  for  worship.  By  its  position  and 
practice  it  exalts  the  matchless  hymn-book  of  the  Temple,  the 
hymn-book  of  Jesus  and  the  Apostles,  the  hymn-book  of  the 
Huguenots  and  Covenanters  and  Puritans. 

Three  additional  characteristics  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  claim  attention  :  its  attitude  toward  oath-bound  secret- 
ism,  its  principle  concerning  sacramental  fellowship,  and  its  ad- 
vocacy of  public  covenanting.  Though  it  does  not,  as  formerly, 
bar  from  its  membership  those  identified  with  secret  oath-bound 
societies,  yet  the  article  in  the  Testimony  stands  unchanged. 
Such  orders  are  condemned  as  often  Christless  in  ritual  and 
teaching,  as  prejudicial  to  brotherhood  in  the  Church,  as  being 
a  door  into  entangling  worldly  alliances,  as  interfering  with 
freedom  of  conscience  by  imposing  an  obligation  to  obey  a  code 
of  unknown  laws,  and  as  violating  the  sanctity  of  the  oath. 
With  the  purpose  of  safeguarding  the  Lord's  Supper  and  its  own 
profession  and  discipline,  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  has 
held  to  restricted  communion,  as  opposed  to  both  latitudinarian 
and  close  communion.  However,  in  the  exercise  of  the  dis- 
cretionary powers  lodged  in  sessions  the  Church  is  gliding  in- 
sensibly into  what  is  virtually  open  communion,  it  being  com- 
mon to  invite  to  sacramental  privilege  those  who  are  members 


THE  UOTTED  PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUEOH    125 

of  sister  evangelical  Churches.  Even  so,  the  right  and  the 
responsibility  of  sessions  to  control  the  administration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  and  to  refuse  admission  thereto  remain.  The 
United  Presbyterian  Church  witnesses  also  to  the  value  and 
duty  of  social  covenanting.  As  it  may  be  deemed  timely, 
God's  people  in  their  collective  capacity  are  to  engage  in  re- 
newals of  their  dedication  to  Him  whose  they  are  and  whom 
they  serve. 

Retaining  the  sturdy  character,  the  conservative  spirit,  and 
the  positiveness  of  doctrine  of  its  ancestry,  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church  is  also  noted  for  its  aggressive  Christian  activity. 
As  regards  world-wide  evangelism,  its  liberal  and  well-directed 
policy  has  put  it  in  the  place  of  recognized  leadership  among 
the  Churches.  Its  three  foreign  fields  are  located  in  the  Pun- 
jab, India,  in  Egypt,  and  in  the  Anglo-Egyptian  Sudan,  and  in 
each  of  these  fields  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  has  bestowed  a 
fullness  of  blessing.  In  home  missions  also  the  United  Pres- 
byterian Church  has  had  equal  interest,  striving  to  do  its 
whole  part  in  taking  possession  of  the  American  Republic  for 
Christ  and  His  Kingdom.  It  was  one  of  the  first  denomina- 
tions to  gird  itself  for  service  among  the  emancipated  Negroes 
of  the  South,  and  its  labors  in  this  sphere  continue  to  be  prose- 
cuted with  unabated  fidelity  and  abundant  success.  It  had 
much  to  do  in  putting  before  the  Churches  the  Men's  Move- 
ment. From  it  largely  has  come  the  Every  Member  Canvass, 
now  so  widely  adopted.  It  was  a  pioneer  in  the  development 
of  young  people's  societies  and  of  organized  women's  work. 
To  a  degree  almost  unmatched  it  has  dealt  faithfully  and  fear- 
lessly with  the  great  reform  questions  which  have  enlisted 
Christian  sentiment  and  effort,  taking  a  radical  attitude  of  sup- 
port with  reference  to  every  one  of  them.  In  the  matter  of  ed- 
ucational enterprise  there  is  less  to  be  said.  Here  it  has  lagged 
as  compared  with  its  advancement  in  other  directions,  for  its 
five  colleges  and  two  theological  seminaries  remain  imperfectly 
endowed.     Notwithstanding   this   fact,    these   institutions   are 


126     CHUECHES  OF  THE  PEDEEAL  COUlsrCIL 

training  their  students  in  accordance  with  present-day  standards 
and  meeting  the  Church's  need. 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church,  with  its  homogeneous,  re- 
liable ministry,  with  its  substantial,  earnest-minded  people,  with 
its  heritage  of  truth,  its  working  efficiency,  and  its  experience 
of  revival,  is  looking  forward  with  confidence.  Free  from  sec- 
tarian temper,  cherishing  tenderness  of  sympathy  with  all 
Christian  brethren,  endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  bond  of  peace,  believing  that  there  is  ^'one  Lord,  one 
faith,  one  baptism,"  it  enrolls  itself  among  the  evangelical 
Churches  which  are  bent  on  winning  the  future  for  Christ. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"The  American  Church  History  Series,"  Volume  XI,  pages 
145-255,  by  Rev.  James  B.  Scouller,  D.  D. 

"  Presbyterians,"  edited  by  the  Rev.  George  P.  Hays,  D.  D., 
pages  425-450,  article  prepared  by  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Reid, 
D.  D.,  and  the  Rev.  A.  G.  Wallace,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

**  Tenth  Anniversary  Memorial  Volume  of  the  Young  People's 
Christian  Union,"  pages  5-27,  an  article  by  Rev.  John 
McNaugher,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  entitled  "The  United 
Presbyterian  Church — its  Origin  and  Mission." 

"  The  Church  Memorial,"  by  Rev.  R.  D.  Harper,  D.  D. 

'*  Manual  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  North 
America,"  by  Rev.  James  B.  Scouller,  D.  D. 

"  Manual  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  North 
America,"  by  Rev.  W.  M.  Glasgow. 


XVII 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 

(  General  Synod') 

THE  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  General  Synod, 
distinguished  from  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 
Synod  by  the  word  ''General,"  is  also  known  as 
"New  School,"  ''New  Light,"  and  "  New  Side  "  ;  while  the 
Synod  Reformed  Presbyterians  are  known  as  "Old  School," 
"Old  Light,"  and  "Old  Side."  The  formation  of  the  two 
synods  resulted  from  the  disruption  of  1833,  previous  to  which 
the  Church  was  known  as  "  The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  United  States  of  North  America."  Both  branches  are 
called  "Covenanters,"  from  their  maintenance  of  the  Scotch 
Covenants  of  Reformation  days.  The  term  "  Reformed  Pres- 
byterians," sometimes  misunderstood,  does  not  imply  a  superior 
form  of  Presbyterianism,  but  rather  "Reformed"  and  "Pres- 
byterian "  ;  that  is,  a  denomination  originating  in  the  Refor- 
mation period  and  Presbyterian  in  its  form  of  church  govern- 
ment. 

The  Presbyterian  Church,  also  called  The  Church  of  Scot- 
land and  the  Reformed  Church  of  Scotland,  was  founded  in 
1557  by  John  Knox  and  his  followers,  and  in  1560  its  Confes- 
sion of  Faith  was  established  by  Act  of  the  Scotch  Parliament. 
In  1580-1581  the  famous  National  Covenant  was  drawn  up  by 
command  of  the  king,  renouncing  popery  and  engaging  to  de- 
fend the  Reformed  faith.  After  a  long  period  of  turmoil,  and 
opposition  from  the  crown,  the  Presbyterian  constitution  was 
established  by  law  in  1592,  the  king  having  preferred  Episco- 
palianism.     In  1603  King  James  Stuart  ofScotland  became  also 

127 


128     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

king  of  England ;  and  he  and  his  successor,  Charles  I,  labored 
zealously  to  uproot  Presbyterianism  in  Scotland.  By  the  in- 
fluence of  King  James,  the  Assembly  of  1610  adopted  Episco- 
pacy. Charles'  efforts  to  make  the  Scotch  Church  Episcopalian 
provoked  a  national  resistance  which  issued  in  the  National 
Covenant  of  1638,  which  was  an  agreement  by  all  classes  to  re- 
sist by  force  the  introduction  of  bishops  and  the  prayer-book. 
The  Assembly  of  1 638  abolished  Episcopacy  and  restored  Pres- 
byterianism. 

In  1642  the  Civil  War  in  England  between  king  and  Parlia- 
ment began.  To  buy  the  aid  of  the  Scotch,  Parliament  decided 
to  make  the  English  Church  Presbyterian.  This  was  consum- 
mated by  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant  of  1643,  the  sign- 
ers taking  the  oath  to  labor  for  *'  the  preservation  of  the  re- 
formed religion  in  the  Church  of  Scotland,  in  doctrine,  wor- 
ship, discipline,  and  government,  .  .  .  the  reformation 
of  religion  in  the  kingdoms  of  England  and  Ireland,  in  doc- 
trine, worship,  discipline,  and  government,  according  to  the 
Word  of  God  and  the  example  of  the  best  Reformed  Churches," 
and  to  endeavor  **  to  bring  the  Churches  of  God  in  the  three 
kingdoms  to  the  nearest  conjunction  and  uniformity  in  religion, 
confession  of  faith,  form  of  church  government,  direction  for 
worship,  and  catechizing.  This  era,  1 638-1 649,  is  called  the 
Second  Reformation. 

With  the  execution  of  King  Charles  in  1649,  England 
entered  upon  the  era  of  the  Commonwealth,  with  Oliver 
Cromwell  as  ruler  of  the  British  Isles.  Charles  II  now  landed 
in  Scotland  to  regain  his  father's  throne,  and  on  his  taking  the 
oath  to  the  Covenant  and  agreeing  to  rule  as  a  covenanted 
king,  the  Scotch  enthusiastically  flocked  to  his^  standard. 
Cromwell,  however,  routed  him  and  drove  him  into  exile. 
Cromwell  dismissed  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of 
Scotland  and  forbade  it  to  meet,  but  in  other  respects  left  the 
Church  free  to  do  its  work,  so  that  up  to  1660  it  flourished 
exceedingly. 


THE  EEFOEMED  PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  129 

In  1660  Charles  II  was  restored  to  the  throne  of  England 
and  a  new  era  commenced.  Up  to  this  time  Covenanter  and 
Presbyterian  had  been  synonymous  terms.  Now  the  diver- 
gence begins.  Both  Covenants  were  abolished  at  the  Resto- 
ration, and  their  adherents  were  severely  persecuted.  Those 
who  forsook  the  Covenants  for  any  reason  and  bowed  before 
the  royal  wrath  were  the  ancestors  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
as  finally  established  in  1690.  Those  who  maintained  the 
Covenants  and  therefore  were  persecuted  were  the  Cov- 
enanters, the  ancestors  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterians.  The 
Covenanters  were  all  Presbyterians,  but  not  all  Presbyterians 
were  Covenanters.  Naturally  the  martyrs  of  the  persecution 
period,  1 660-1 688,  were  all  Covenanters,  and  it  is  an  anach- 
ronism to  claim  them  for  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Charles  II,  despising  his  covenant  oath,  induced  the  sub- 
servient Scotch  Parliament  to  declare  the  headship  of  the  king 
over  the  Church,  to  pronounce  the  Covenants  null  and  void, 
and,  in  short,  by  a  number  of  acts,  to  bring  everything  back 
to  the  year  1638,  before  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  that  year.  The  Scotch  Church  was  made  Episcopalian,  a 
full  prelatical  regime  was  put  into  operation,  and  all  ministers 
not  falling  in  with  the  new  order  of  things  were  deprived  of 
their  charges.  Three  hundred  and  fifty  ministers  thus  suffered 
in  obedience  to  conscience.  The  era  of  persecution,  1660-1 688, 
is  a  dreary  and  terrible  one,  and  we  must  refer  the  reader  to  special 
volumes  upon  the  subject.  About  20,000  suffered  death  or  ut- 
most hardships  for  their  faith  in  Christ,  among  whom  7,000 
went  into  voluntary  banishment,  2,500  were  shipped  to  distant 
lands,  800  were  outlawed,  680  killed  in  battle,  500  murdered 
in  cold  blood,  and  362  were  executed  by  forms  of  law.  Be- 
tween spells  of  persecution  would  come  spells  of  indulgence, 
granting  a  stoppage  of  persecution  to  those  who  were  willing 
to  compromise  somewhat  between  Episcopacy  and  the  Cov- 
enants, until  the  active  resistant  Covenanter  ministers  were 
worn  down  to  a  very  few.     Among  these  was  Richard  Cam- 


130     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

eron,  who  issued  the  Sanquhar  Declaration  renouncing  alle- 
giance to  Charles  II  and  declaring  war  on  him,  and  who  was 
therefore  hunted  down  and  killed  at  the  battle  of  Airsmoss  ; 
Donald  Cargill,  who  was  hanged  for  excommunicating  the 
king ;  and  James  Renwick,  the  last  martyr  of  the  Covenanted 
Reformation.  But  in  1688  the  Stuarts  were  driven  from  the 
throne  of  England,  and  with  the  accession  of  William  of 
Orange  came  the  act  of  Toleration  which  put  an  end  to  relig- 
ious persecution  in  Great  Britain. 

A  general  reorganization  in  both  religious  and  political 
matters  now  took  place  in  both  England  and  Scotland.  Will- 
iam, King  of  England  and  Scotland,  allowed  each  country  to 
choose  its  own  form  of  church  government.  England  chose 
Episcopacy,  Scotland  chose  Presbyterianism.  In  1690  the 
Scotch  Parliament  passed  an  Act  of  Settlement,  abolishing 
prelacy  and  adopting  the  Westminster  Confession.  The 
Church  Assembly  was  composed  of  men  of  all  shades  of  relig- 
ious belief,  persecutors,  persecuted,  and  neutrals.  The  Cov- 
enants were  ignored,  and  Erastianism  (the  subservience  of  the 
Church  to  the  State)  was  established.  At  this  point  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Scotland,  as  distinct  from  the  Covenanter 
or  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  enters  upon  its  existence. 
From  this  time  on  the  Covenanters,  adhering  to  the  Cov- 
enants, claimed  the  pre-revolution  martyrs  as  peculiarly  their 
own.  The  Covenanters  or  Cameronians  stated  that  the  ends 
of  the  Covenant  had  not  been  attained,  and  being  deadly  op- 
posed to  Erastianism,  withdrew  from  the  Presbyterian  Church 
and  organized  themselves  into  a  society  for  religious  purposes. 
For  sixteen  years  they  were  without  a  minister,  until  in  1706 
Rev.  John  McMillan  acceded  to  them  from  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  After  many  years  of  labor.  Rev.  Thomas  Nairn 
joined  him,  and  in  1743  they  constituted  the  Reformed  Pres- 
bytery in  Scotland.  For  a  century  the  Church  grew  rapidly, 
but  to-day  is  very  small,  nearly  all  of  its  members  having 
joined  either  the  Free  Presbyterian  or  the  United  Presbyterian 


THE  EEFORMED  PRESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  131 

Church   of  Scotland,    two  Churches  which  themselves  have 
lately  united  to  form  the  United  Free  Church  of  Scotland. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  America 
In  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Reformed  Presby- 
terians began  to  emigrate  to  America  and  endeavored  to  main- 
tain a  clear  testimony  for  the  full  attainment  of  the  Scottish 
Reformation.  In  1743  they  met  at  Middle  Octarara  and 
renewed  the  Covenant.  In  1798  a  presbytery  was  organized  in 
Philadelphia.  In  1800  it  enacted  a  law  that  no  slaveholder 
should  be  a  communicant,  a  position  always  maintained.  This 
was  the  first  Church  to  do  so.  In  1806  they  published  a 
testimony  entitled  "Reformation  Principles  Exhibited  by 
the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America,"  giving  a  history  of  the  Church  and  a  statement  of  its 
doctrine.  While  conceding  honor  where  honor  is  due,  they 
did  not  hesitate  to  criticize  the  Federal  Constitution.  It  makes 
no  recognition  of  God  or  of  the  Mediatorial  Sovereignty  of 
Christ.  Therefore  they  declined  to  swear  allegiance  to  it,  to 
vote,  or  to  perform  any  civic  act  that  might  be  construed  as  a 
recognition  of  the  government. 

Why  did  they  maintain  the  principles  of  the  Covenant  on 
American  soil — a  Covenant  that  had  been  made  for  the  British 
Isles  only  ?  First,  because  their  view  had  expanded,  so  that 
they  now  saw  that  Messiah's  Kingdom  extended  over  the  whole 
earth.  Secondly,  because  Episcopalian  and  Presbyterian  im- 
migrants were  advocating  Episcopacy  and  Erastianism,  which 
the  Covenanters  felt  themselves  bound  to  attack  wherever 
advocated. 

In  1809  the  one  presbytery  was  divided  into  three,  and  a 
synod  established — the  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  North  America.  During  the 
next  twenty  years  it  became  evident  that  some  of  the  ministers 
were  disposed  to  modify  their  views  regarding  the  attitude  of 
the  Church  toward  the  civil  government.     This   with   other 


132     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

minor  causes  resulted  in  a  disruption  of  the  Church  and  the 
formation  of  two  distinct  synods  in  1833,  called  respect- 
ively the  Synod  and  the  General  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presby- 
terian Church,  as  stated  at  the  beginning  of  this  article.  The 
Synod  maintained  that  voting  under  the  Constitution  involves 
immorality.  The  General  Synod  maintains  that  voting  does 
not  involve  immorality,  a  position  that  makes  it  so  near  like 
several  other  American  denominations  as  to  dim  its  individu- 
ality. The  General  Synod  has  twenty  ministers,  seventeen  con- 
gregations, and  about  2,000  communicants.  It  has  a  college  at 
Cedarville,  Ohio,  and  a  seminary  there  also,  recently  removed 
from  Philadelphia. 

The  fact  that  America  has  never  had  an  established  Church, 
and  the  fact  that  the  Federal  Constitution  forbids  any  political 
discrimination  on  account  of  religion,  puts  a  different  phase  on 
the  doctrine  that  it  is  the  duty  of  all  Christians  to  labor  so  that 
the  "Kingdoms  "  of  this  world  may  become  the  Kingdoms  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  phrase  is  coming  to  be  employed 
in  a  spiritual-figurative  sense ;  namely,  to  convert  nations  by 
converting  individuals ;  and  then  perforce  the  nations  will  be 
Christian.  Experience  has  shown  that  union  of  Church  and 
State  (government)  has  always  ended  in  the  Church  becoming 
the  servant  of  the  State. 

The  Declaration  and  Testimony  of  the  Church  contains 
thirty-three  articles,  which  maintain  the  cardinal  principles  of 
Calvinism,  Election,  and  so  forth.  It  stands  for  the  Crown 
Rights  and  Royal  Prerogatives  of  Jesus  Christ  as  Ruler  of 
nations.  The  Covenanters  have  not  accepted  the  Revised 
Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  They  main- 
tain Social  Covenanting,  and  Close  Communion,  limited  to 
those  whom  the  Session  invites.  They  maintain  the  exclusive 
use  of  the  Psalms  for  worship.  Lastly,  the  General  Synod  in 
1907  reaffirmed  its  pronouncement  on  secret  societies  as 
follows : 

**  Resolved  that  General  Synod  reaffirms  her  position  for- 


THE  EEFOEMED  PEESBYTEEIAN  CHUECH  133 

bidding  not  only  pastors  and  elders,  but  also  members  of  our 
Church,  to  have  any  connection  with,  or  membership  in  oath- 
bound  secret  societies  which  are  immoral  or  unmoral  or  which 
deny  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ." 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

**  Reformation  Principles  Exhibited  by  the  Reformed  Presby- 
terian Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  an  Historical  View.'* 
Charles  T.  Dillingham  and  Co.,  New  York,  1892. 

"  The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  Scotland,"  Rev. 
Mathew  Hutchinson.  J.  Menzies  and  Co.,  Edinburgh, 
1893. 


XVIII 

The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  {or 
Presbyterian)  Church 

IT  is  necessary,  in  connection  With  the  American  branch 
of  this  Church,  briefly  to  describe  the  rise  and  growth  of 
the  mother  Church  in  Wales.  The  Church  was,  in 
origin,  independent  of,  and,  in  organization,  prior  to,  English 
Methodism.  The  Welsh  Methodist  revival,  properly  so  called, 
began  in  1 735-1 736,  through  the  earnest  ministry  of  Howell 
Harris,  Daniel  Rowlands,  and  Howell  Davies ;  the  first  a  lay- 
man, the  two  latter  Episcopal  clergymen.  The  work  of  Welsh 
religious  reform  was  carried  on  at  first  wholly  within  the  Estab- 
lished Church.  The  first  society  was  organized  at  Erwood,  in 
Brecknockshire  in  1 736 ;  and  the  first  general  association  was 
held  at  Watford,  Glamorganshire,  January  5  and  6,  1742,  two 
years  and  a  half  prior  to  the  first  conference  of  English 
Methodists,  convened  by  Wesley  in  London.  The  moderator 
at  the  Watford  Association  was,  by  invitation,  the  Rev.  George 
Whitfield.  From  1751  to  1762  the  denomination  grew  but 
little,  owing  to  internal  dissensions,  but  in  1 762-1 763  a  great 
revival  welded  the  conflicting  factions  into  an  indissoluble 
union.  The  year  1785  was  signalized  by  the  accession  of  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Charles,  of  Bala,  whose  great  work  was  the 
organizing  of  the  denominational  Sabbath  schools.  The  study 
of  the  Scriptures  in  these  schools,  by  the  whole  church,  led  to 
a  demand  for  Welsh  Bibles  beyond  the  then  means  of  supply, 
and,  as  a  consequence,  to  the  formation  in  1801  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  The  formal  act  of  separation  from 
the  Established  Church  was  forced  upon  the  denomination  by 
its  rapid   growth.     Communion  in  the  few  parish   churches 

134 


WELSH  CALVmiSTIC  METHODIST  CHUECH    135 

having  ' '  Methodistic  "  rectors  became  impossible  to  a  body 
numbering  its  members  by  tens  of  thousands,  and  ordained 
ministers  were  but  few  in  number.  In  the  general  associations 
held  at  Bala,  and  at  Llandilo  Fawr,  in  1811,  twenty-one 
persons  were  therefore  ordained  to  the  office  of  the  ministry 
by  ministers  who  had  been  themselves  episcopally  ordained, 
and  a  separate  church  organization  was  established  based  upon 
the  Presbyterian  Polity  as  that  of  the  New  Testament.  In  1 813 
the  Home  Mission  Society  was  organized  for  work  in  the 
English  districts  bordering  on  Wales.  In  1823  a  confession 
of  faith  was  adopted.  In  1839  a  theological  seminary  was 
established  at  Bala,  and  in  1842  another  at  Trevecca.  The 
work  of  Foreign  Missions  was  carried  on  until  1840  in  connec- 
tion with  the  London  Missionary  Society ;  but  since  that  date 
the  Church  has  maintained  missions  of  its  own  in  Khassia, 
India,  in  Brittany  to  the  Breton  kinsmen  of  the  Welsh,  and  in 
London  to  the  Jews.  The  last  step  in  its  organization  was 
taken  by  the  constitution  of  the  General  Assembly  at  Swansea 
in  1864.  The  Church  is  in  numbers,  influence  and  Christian 
work  the  foremost  Church  of  the  Principality. 

Welsh  immigrants  came  to  the  American  Colonies  in  con- 
siderable numbers  during  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  cen- 
turies. As  early  as  1690  a  Welsh  Presbyterian  congregation 
was  gathered  in  the  Great  Valley,  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  and  was 
ministered  to  after  1 700  by  the  Rev.  David  Evan,  who  was  the 
first  licentiate  educated  by  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  of  America.  The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist 
Church  in  America  is,  however,  directly  connected  with  the 
Church  of  the  Principality.  The  earliest  separate  congregation 
in  the  United  States  was  established  at  Remsen,  Oneida  Co., 
N.  Y.,  in  1826,  and  the  first  presbytery  was  held  on  the  loth 
of  May,  1828.  The  Synod  of  New  York  was  established  in  the 
same  year,  the  Synod  of  Ohio  in  1832,  that  of  Wisconsin  in 
1844,  and  that  of  Pennsylvania  in  1845.  A  General  Assem- 
bly was  erected  in  1869,  and  has  been  represented  in  all  of 


136     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

the  Councils  of  the  "  World  Alliance  of  the  Presbyterian 
Churches.'* 

The  Church  conducts  home  mission  work  through  a  com- 
mittee, and  sustains  jointly  with  the  Church  in  the  mother  land 
foreign  mission  work  in  India. 

The  doctrines  of  the  Confession  of  this  Church  are  in  sub- 
stantial agreement  with  the  doctrines  of  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession. The  word  ''Methodist  "  in  its  name  is,  therefore,  to 
be  understood  as  defining  not  a  form  of  doctrine  or  polity, 
but  methods  of  Christian  life  and  work.  The  Confession  is 
published  both  in  English  and  Welsh. 

The  Church  uses  no  liturgy,  and  its  services  are  simple, 
characterized  by  earnestness,  and  conducted,  as  a  rule,  in  the 
Welsh  language.  A  monthly  denominational  magazine,  The 
Friend  from  the  Old  Country ^  of  which  the  Rev.  William 
H.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  was  for  a  long  time  editor,  has  been  sus- 
tained for  more  than  seventy  years.  The  younger  members 
of  the  congregations,  as  a  rule,  connect  themselves,  in  time, 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America, 
so  that  the  Welsh  Church  is  largely  composed  of  older  per- 
sons, and  recent  immigrants. 

Statistics  (19 14) 

Number  of  Synods,            ....  6 

Number  of  Churches,         -         .         -         .  147 

Number  of  Ministers,         .         -         -         -  ^2 

Number  of  Communicants,         -         -         -  14,231 

Number  of  Sabbath  School  Scholars,  -         -  10,594 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  Welsh  Methodism,"  by  John  Hughes.     3  vols.     1 851-1856. 
(In  Welsh.) 

"Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodism,"  by  Williams.      1892. 

Annual  year  books  of  the  denomination. 


XIX 
The  Reformed  Church  in  America 

History  and  Development 

AMONG  the  Churches  that  trace  their  origin  and  lineage 
to  that  great  spiritual  revival  known  as  the  Reforma- 
tion, the  Reformed  Church  in  America  holds  an  hon- 
orable place. 

Not  fully  established  until  1581,  she  was  still  young  when 
Hendrick  Hudson  sailed  up  the  river  that  bears  his  name,  in 
1509,  and  had  but  just  adopted  a  complete  statement  of  doc- 
trine in  the  famous  Synod  of  Dort,  in  1618-1619,  when  the 
West  India  Company  took  possession  of  Manhattan  Island  in 
the  name  of  the  Dutch  government,  and  called  it  New  Amster- 
dam. 

True  to  the  tradition  of  their  fathers  the  Dutch  colonists 
brought  their  religious  convictions  and  customs  with  them  to 
these  shores  ;  among  the  first  were  the  schoolmaster  and  "the 
visitors  of  the  sick,"  and  it  was  not  long  before  a  pastor  came 
to  them  from  the  Netherlands,  and  a  church  organization  was 
effected  in  1628;  this  may  not  have  been  the  first  Protestant 
church  in  this  Western  world,  but  it  certainly  was  the  first 
church  of  the  Presbyterian  order. 

The  first  minister  was  the  Rev.  Jonas  Michaelius,  who  was 
sent  out  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  under  the  auspices  and 
at  the  expense  of  the  West  India  Company. 

As  the  colony  grew,  churches  were  established  in  Brooklyn 
and  other  parts  of  Long  Island,  as  well  as  along  the  Hudson 
River  and  in  New  Jersey;  until  at  the  time  of  the  surrender  of 

137 


138     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

New  Amsterdam,  in  1664,  there  were  eleven  churches  and  seven 
ministers  in  the  province. 

With  the  coming  in  of  the  English  there  was  begun  a  de- 
termined attempt  to  establish  the  Episcopal  Church  as  the 
official  Church  of  New  York.  No  stone  was  left  unturned  to 
bring  this  about ;  but  the  Dutch  had  refused  to  surrender  till 
their  religious  liberties  had  been  guaranteed  ;  and  although 
they  were  much  opposed  by  the  English  governors,  they  main- 
tained their  rights  and  extended  their  Church  as  opportunity 
offered. 

In  the  further  development  of  their  church  life  the  Dutch 
people  had  many  obstacles  to  overcome,  and  their  growth  was 
not  rapid. 

One  difficulty  was  the  peculiar  relation  which  the  Church  sus- 
tained, on  the  one  hand,  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  and  on 
the  other  to  the  West  India  Company ;  for  nearly  a  century  and 
a  half  they  had  no  ecclesiastical  independence;  this  handi- 
capped them  in  the  matter  of  church  extension,  and  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  discipline,  but  was  a  special  drawback  in  connection 
with  the  supply  of  ministers  for  the  new  churches,  as  they  were 
established  ;  no  minister  could  receive  a  license  except  from 
the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  ;  the  expenditure  of  time  and  money 
involved  was  so  great  that  it  was  not  possible  to  supply  the 
churches  with  pastors.  When  after  a  long  struggle  there  seemed 
to  be  a  well-founded  hope  that  a  fair  degree  of  ecclesiastical  in- 
dependence was  to  be  granted,  a  bitter  controversy  arose 
within  the  Church  itself  with  reference  to  this  issue,  the  conse- 
quence of  which  was  that  the  life  and  activity  of  the  churches 
was  much  interrupted,  and  their  development  was  seriously 
checked. 

Another  difficulty  with  which  they  had  to  contend  arose 
from  the  introduction  of  the  Enghsh  language  into  the  public 
services.  While  the  Dutch  had  no  love  for  the  English,  and 
were  very  tenacious  of  their  own  tongue,  they  stood  face  to 
face  with  the  fact  that  each  succeeding  generation  retained  less 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHUECH  IN  AMEEICA   139 

familiarity  with  the  old  language  than  that  which  went  before, 
and  it  became  increasingly  difficult  to  retain  the  young  people 
for  the  Dutch  Church,  while  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Dutch 
language  was  insisted  on  in  the  public  services ;  the  result  was 
that  many  went  over  to  other  Churches,  especially  to  the 
Episcopal  Church. 

The  Revolutionary  War  also  made  serious  inroads  upon  the 
growth  of  the  Reformed  Church,  inasmuch  as  the  territory  in 
which  she  operated  suffered  more  severely  perhaps  than  any 
other  in  the  colonies  from  the  devastation  of  war ;  in  the 
struggle  for  national  independence  the  descendants  of  the 
Dutch  took  a  very  prominent  and  honorable  part,  but  the  war 
absolutely  checked  for  the  time  being  the  development  of  the 
Church. 

It  may  be  added  that  for  many  decades  thereafter  there  was 
little  or  no  immigration  of  people  from  the  Netherlands,  and 
the  Churches  were  dependent  upon  natural  increase  for  their 
growth. 

All  of  these  causes,  except  the  war,  continued  to  operate  for 
many  years,  so  that  other  branches  of  Protestantism  and  even 
of  Presbyterianism  outstripped  the  Reformed  Church,  and 
while  it  enjoyed  prestige  and  produced  many  distinguished  men 
in  Church  and  State,  it  remained  relatively  a  small  denomina- 
tion. 

A  new  impetus  was  given  when  in  the  middle  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  (1847)  a  very  considerable  immigration  set  in 
from  the  Netherlands,  which  has  continued  to  flow,  as  a  more 
or  less  steady  stream,  up  to  the  present  time.  Under  splendid 
religious  leadership  prosperous  colonies  were  established  in 
Michigan,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Minnesota  and  other 
states  in  the  Middle  West,  reaching  now  to  the  Pacific  slope. 

The  Churches  established  in  these  various  colonies  now  con- 
stitute the  Particular  Synod  of  Chicago,  comprising  240 
churches,  30,000  communicants,  and  contributing  during  the 
past  year  more  than  ;^5oo,ooo. 


140     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  entire  Church  now  has  a  little  more  than  700  churches, 
with  774  ministers,  and  127,000  communicants,  24,500 
catechumens,  800  Sunday-schools  with  an  enrollment  of  129,- 
000.  It  gives  over  ^500,000  annually  for  benevolent  objects 
and  last  year  raised  a  total  for  all  objects  of  ^2,500,000. 

The  Church  comprises  thirty-six  classes,  or  presbyteries, 
divided  in  four  Particular  Synods,  known  respectively  as  the 
Synods  of  New  York,  New  Brunswick,  Albany  and  Chicago. 
The  highest  ecclesiastical  body  is  the  General  Synod  which 
meets  annually  in  June. 

,  Characteristics 

I.  The  Reformed  Church  has  always  strongly  emphasized 
education  f  especially  as  related  io  preparation  for  the  Christian 
ministry.  The  early  colonists  brought  their  schoolmaster  with 
them,  and  it  was  always  expected  that  the  minister  would  be 
educated  and  able  to  educate  others ;  the  men  that  came  to 
minister  to  the  little  churches  in  the  provinces  were  university- 
bred,  and  this  requirement  was  never  relinquished  ;  the  Church 
insists  upon  an  educated  ministry  and  prescribes  a  college  and 
seminary  training.  The  Reformed  Church  was  perhaps  the 
first  to  make  provision  for  distinctively  theological  training  in 
this  country.  Failing  in  the  attempt  to  establish  a  chair  of 
Theology  in  Kings  College,  now  Columbia  University,  and  at 
Princeton,  they  established  an  educational  institution  of  their 
own  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  calling  it  Queens  College,  in 
1767,  and  in  connection  therewith  and  as  a  crown  thereof,  a 
theological  chair,  whose  first  incumbent  was  the  Rev.  Dr. 
John  H.  Livingston,  who  was  also  president  of  the  college 
during  the  latter  years  of  his  long  and  useful  life.  He  has 
been  called  **the  father  of  the  Reformed  Church,"  as  by  his 
signal  ability  and  conciliatory  spirit  he  was  able  to  bring  order 
out  of  chaos  and  peace  out  of  dissension,  and  to  organize  the 
denomination  into  an  aggressive  force. 

When,  as  the  result  of  the  later  immigration,  the  Church  was 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA    141 

established  in  the  Middle  West,  the  first  thought  of  the  leaders 
was  to  plant  an  academy,  which  has  grown  into  a  strong  col- 
lege,^ and  a  theological  seminary  ^  has  been  added,  and 
academies  have  been  established  as  feeders  to  these  institutions, 
in  Illinois,  Wisconsin  and  Iowa. 

2.  A  second  characteristic  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America  is  its  conservative  theological  positioti.  As  the  name 
implies,  it  holds  to  the  Reformed  type  of  Protestant  theology, 
as  represented  by  John  Calvin.  In  common  with  all  the  old 
Reformed  Churches,  it  makes  the  Bible  the  only  rule  of  faith 
and  practice.  But  it  accepts  certain  summaries  or  statements 
of  revealed  truths,  which  are  known  as  its  confessions  or  creeds  \ 
these  were  drawn  up  *<  when  the  Reformation  spirit  was  in  the 
fullness  of  its  youthful  vigor,  and  are  considered  useful  as  a 
guide  to  the  organized  efficiency  of  the  Church." 

Of  these  the  Reformed  Church  accepts  three : 

(a)  The  Belgic  Confession,  prepared  in  156 1  by  GuidoDe 
Bres  of  Belgium,  assisted  by  Calvin  and  other  prominent  leaders 
of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  Netherlands,  France  and  Eng- 
land. This  Confession,  which  presents  under  thirty-seven 
articles  a  carefully  prepared  statement  of  our  doctrinal  belief, 
was  finally  adopted  by  the  great  Synod  of  Dort,  April  19, 
161 9,  as  the  doctrinal  basis  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  as 
such  was  brought  over  and  retained  as  the  creed  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  this  country. 

(b)  The  Heidelberg  Catechism,  orginally  composed  for  the 
Protestants  of  the  Palatinate  in  Germany,  in  1563,  but  early 
adopted  by  the  Reformed  Churches  of  the  Netherlands  for  the 
purposes  of  instruction.  It  is  not  a  complete  system  of  doc- 
trine, but  a  brief  treatise,  in  catechetical  form,  concerning  the 
doctrine  of  salvation,  in  which  the  Apostolic  Confession,  the 
Law,  the  Sacraments  and  the  Lord's  Prayer  are  explained  ;  it 
arranges  its  matter  under  this  threefold  division  : 

1  Hope  College  and  the  Western  Theological  Seminary  at  Holland, 
Michigan. 


142     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

(i)     The  misery  of  man  caused  by  sin  ; 

(ii)    God's  plan  of  deliverance  from  sin  ; 

(iii)   The  Christian's  gratitude  for  this  deliverance. 

In  this  manual  of  instruction  the  subjective  and  experimental 
side  of  the  Christian  life  are  emphasized,  and  many  of  its 
statements  have  been  regarded  as  among  the  most  beautiful 
gems  of  religious  truth  extant.  This  is  the  most  popular  of  the 
three  symbols. 

(<:)  The  Canons  of  the  Synod  of  Dorty  which  set  forth  the 
faith  of  the  Church  in  regard  to  the  questions  raised  in  the 
Arminian  controversy ;  it  is  a  document  consisting  of  five 
articles,  now  popularly  known  as  "  the  five  points  of  Calvin- 
ism." "  It  stands  as  a  monument  on  the  battle-field,  where  the 
fiercest  struggle  for  the  settlement  of  the  great  principles  of  the 
Reformation  in  Holland  took  place."  These  standards  in- 
dicate the  conservative  theological  position  of  the  Reformed 
Church. 

3.  But  another  characteristic  of  the  Reformed  Church  is  its 
catholicity.  While  continuing  true  to  the  great  principles  of 
the  Reformation,  as  they  were  annunciated  by  Calvin,  it  has 
sought  *'to  keep  clear  of  an  offensive  bigoted  orthodoxism." 
It  has  cultivated  a  charitable  spirit  with  reference  to  those  hold- 
ing other  views  ;  its  confessions  are  of  a  moderate  type,  laying 
supreme  emphasis  upon  the  personal  acceptance  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  on  the  new  life  resulting  from  fellowship  with  Him. 
Says  Dr.  J.  D.  Burrell,  "  The  Reformed  Church  stands  for 
catholicity.  Not  for  a  spurious  catholicity,  or  so-called 
*  liberalism,'  which  involves  a  compromise  of  both  truth  and 
principle.  At  that  point  there  can  be  no  compromise.  .  .  . 
It  is  intensely  loyal  to  its  honorable  traditions.  It  stands  for 
truth,  for  broad  catholicity,  for  holy  zeal.  Its  people,  undis- 
turbed by  strifes  and  jealousies,  can  sing  with  heart  and  under- 
standing :  '  Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds  our  hearts  in  Christian 
love.'  " 

Says   Dr.    F.    S.    Schenck    of  New  Brunswick   Seminary : 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHUECH  m  AMEEICA    143 

"  The  character,  training  and  history  of  our  Church  draw  us 
into  fraternal  relations  with  other  denominations.  Our  cus- 
toms and  usages,  while  precious  to  us,  do  not  lead  us  to  criti- 
cize or  interfere  with  the  customs  or  doctrine,  government  or 
worship  of  our  sister  Churches,  but  on  the  contrary  tend  to  a 
hearty  union  and  cooperation  with  them  in  the  worship  and 
work  of  the  Church  universal  ;  we  look  at  the  values  we  have 
in  common  and  strive  together  to  glorify  God  and  to  bless  man- 
kind. We  also  cultivate  a  spirit  of  sympathy  and  cooperation 
with  the  undenominatical  agencies  of  the  Church,  and  heartily 
support  the  Bible  and  Tract  Societies,  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Associations  and  kindred  organizations." 

4.  Another  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  America  is  i/s  missioiiary  zeal  and  activity.  Both  its 
domestic  and  foreign  work  are  prosecuted  with  vigor,  and 
have  been  very  successful. 

While  its  home  work  is  directed  chiefly  to  the  Hollanders 
and  Germans  in  the  West,  it  does  a  splendid  work  among  the 
Indians  of  the  West  and  Southwest,  and  among  the  mountain 
whites  of  Kentucky,  and  is  carrying  on  aggressive  work  among 
the  Jews  in  and  about  Chicago,  the  Japanese  in  New  York,  and 
has  begun  to  reach  out  among  the  Italians,  Hungarians  and 
Poles.  In  this  effort  it  is  true  to  the  noble  old  type.  Mega- 
polensis,  the  first  pastor  at  Rensselaerwyck  (Albany),  preached 
to  the  Indians  even  before  Eliot  began  his  famous  work,  and  all 
the  old  churches  of  the  colony  were  deeply  interested  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  people  around  them. 

In  foreign  missions  the  Reformed  Church  has  always  shown 
a  special  interest  and  taken  a  leading  part.  The  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions,  now  in  the  eighty-second  year  of  its  ex- 
istence, operated  through  '*  the  American  Board  of  Commission- 
ers for  Foreign  Missions  "  for  the  first  twenty-five  years  of  its 
existence,  but  for  fifty-nine  years  has  worked  independently  and 
with  signal  success. 

The  first  missionary  of  the  Reformed  Church  was  Dr.  John 


144     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Scudder,  who  went  to  Ceylon  in  connection  with  the  Ameri- 
can Board  in  1819;  since  then  **  the  Scudders  "  have  been  a 
feature  of  the  Reformed  Church,  especially  upon  the  mission 
field. 

The  missions  now  operated  by  the  Board  are  five : 

(«)  The  Amoy  Mission,  China,  is  the  oldest,  having  been 
begun  in  1842.  It  occupies  exclusively  a  district  in  the 
province  of  Fukien,  containing  about  six  thousand  square 
miles,  and  a  population  roughly  estimated  at  three  miUions. 
The  first  church  building  erected  by  Protestants  in  Amoy,  for 
Chinese  worshipers  only,  was  built  by  Mr.  Pohlman,  and  still 
stands  as  his  monument. 

The  mission  force,  occupying  four  principal  stations,  con- 
sists of  thirty  missionaries,  for  whose  work  ^34,000  are  ap- 
propriated. 

{b)  The  Arcot  Mission,  India,  was  organized  in  1853  by 
three  sons  of  Dr.  John  Scudder ;  forty  missionaries  are  now 
connected  with  it ;  its  field,  in  which  no  other  mission  is 
found,  is  in  the  Madras  Presidency,  and  embraces  8,333  square 
miles,  with  a  population  of  2,400,000  ;  it  has  nine  principal 
stations  and  two  hundred  out-stations  j  the  appropriations  for 
this  work  amount  to  ^68,000. 

(/)  A  mission  to  Japan  was  begun  in  1859,  when  the 
Rev.  G.  F.  Verbeck  and  the  Rev.  S.  R.  Brown  with  Dr.  D.  B. 
Simmons  sailed  for  that  empire. 

The  North  Japan  Mission  has  a  force  of  twenty-one  mission- 
aries; it  occupies  five  principal  stations  with  forty-two  out- 
stations;  appropriations,  ^41,000. 

(d)  The  South  Japan  Mission  has  its  field  in  the  large 
southern  island  of  Kiushui.  Fifteen  missionaries  occupy  five 
stations ;  appropriations,  ^30,000. 

((?)  The  Arabian  Mission  was  established  as  an  independent 
and  undenominational  mission  for  special  work  among  the 
Mohammedans  in  1889;  it  was  adopted  by  the  Reformed 
Church  in  1894;  it  has  access  to  a  population  estimated  at 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHUECH  IN  AMEEICA    146 

1,600,000;  in  this  field,  where  there  is  no  other  mission,  there 
are  thirty-three  missionaries ;  appropriations,  $34,000. 

Sum??iary  :  Missionaries  representing  the  Reformed  Church, 
141 ;  these  occupy  twenty-seven  separate  stations,  and,  in 
association  with  the  native  agency,  320  out-stations.  There 
are  700  native  helpers ;  forty-six  organized  churches  with  a 
membership  of  over  6,000,  who  contributed  last  year  about 
;^ 1 5, 000  for  the  maintenance  of  their  own  work.  In  the  twenty 
hospitals  and  dispensaries  140,000  patients  were  treated  last 
year.  The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  administers  funds,  con- 
tributed by  churches  and  individuals,  which  now  approximate 
$300,000  annually. 

The  Reformed  Church  has  been  called  **  the  Gibraltar  of 
orthodoxy  and  the  Klondike  of  missions." 

Dr.  Francis  E.  Clark,  on  his  return  from  a  recent  trip 
around  the  world,  said  :  "I  have  made  a  canvass  of  the  mis- 
sionary stations  wherever  I  have  gone,  and  nowhere  have  I 
found  anything  superior  to  the  work  which  is  being  done  by 
the  Reformed  Church  in  Japan,  India,  China  and  Arabia; 
the  success  of  your  missionaries  is  a  proverb.  And  they  them- 
selves, your  Verbeck,  your  Scudders  and  Zwemers  and  Cham- 
berlains and  others,  are  mighty  men  of  God." 

The  Reformed  Church  holds  itself  subject  to  orders  in  the 
conquest  of  the  world  for  Christ. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

Dr.  E.  T.  Corwin,  recently  passed  away,  was  the  historian  of 
our  Church  par  excellence.  I  name  his  contributions  first 
of  all ;  in  fact,  if  any  one  will  consult  these,  he  will  be  in- 
troduced to  all  the  rest  of  the  sources,  and  will  find  that  he 
scarcely  had  need  to  go  any  farther. 

Edward  Tanjore  Corwin,  D,  D.  ; 

"A  Manual  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America  "  (i  628-1 902). 
Fourth  Edition  ;  revised  and  enlarged.      Published  by  the 


146     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

Board  of  Publication  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America 
in  New  York,  1902. 

**  History  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America,"  in  the  Church 
History  Series,  Vol.  VIII,  1895. 

*'  Original  Documents  on  the  Colonial  History  of  New  York 
and  New  Jersey,"  in  six  volumes,  published  by  the  Legis- 
lature of  the  State  of  New  York,  under  the  direction  of  the 
State  Historian,  Hon.  Hugh  Hastings;    1900-19 10. 

I  will  next  mention  two  volumes  in  the  preparation  and  editing 
of  which  Dr.  Corwin  had  a  prominent  part.  Next  to  his 
own  "Manual,"  I  consider  these  the  most  informing  of  the 
books  that  I  shall  name: 

"  Centennial  Discourses,"  a  series  of  sermons  delivered  in  the 
year  1876  by  the  order  of  the  General  Synod  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  America.  Published  by  the  Board  of 
Publication  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America,  New  York, 
1877. 

"  Centennial  of  the  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  America,"  1 784-1 884.  Board  of  Publication 
of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America,  New  York,  1885. 

David  D.  Demaresty  D.  D.  : 

"  History  and  Characteristics  of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch 
Church  in  America."  Published  by  the  Board  of  Publica- 
tion of  the  Reformed  Church  in  America,  New  York,  1856. 

"Notes  on  the  Constitution  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America."     Same  publisher,  1896. 

I  would  include  the  "  History  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the 
United  States,"  1 725-1 792,  by  Rev.  James  I.  Good. 
Published  by  Daniel  Miller,  Reading,  Pa.,  in  1899.  (The 
early  history  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  was  closely 
connected  with  that  of  the  Dutch  Church  ;  hence  the  value 
of  this  book  in  the  study  of  the  history  of  our  own  Church.) 

For  a  short  resume  of  the  history  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
the  Netherlands,  which  needs  to  be  known  to  understand 
the  history  of  our  Church  in  this  country,  the  following  is 
valuable  : 


THE  REFOEMED  CHUECH  IN  AMEEICA    147 

"The  Reformed  Church  in  the  Netherlands,"  1340-1 840; 
short  historical  sketches  by  Rev.  Maurice  G.  Hansen. 
Published  by  the  Board  of  Publication  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  America,  New  York  City,  1884. 

J.  R.  Brodhead: 

"  Documents  Relative  to  the  Colonial  History  of  the  State  of 
New  York."      Albany,  1856. 

E.  B.  O'Callaghan: 

"History  of  New  Netherland."  Published  in  New  York  in 
1855. 

"  Documentary  History  of  the  State  of  New  York."  Albany, 
1850. 

Mrs.  Schuyler  Van  Rensselaer  : 

"  History  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  the  Seventeenth  Century." 

Dr.  Frederick  Zwierlein  : 

**  Religion  in  New  Netherland."  Thesis  for  degree  at  Uni- 
versity of  Louvain  (Roman  Catholic),  19 10. 

These  I  believe  to  be  the  most  reliable  sources  in  the  English 
language  for  the  study  of  the  history  of  our  Church.  The 
first  essential  is  acquaintance  with  the  history  of  the  Re- 
formed Churches  in  Europe,  particularly  in  the  Netherlands. 


XX 

The  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States 

THE  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  traces  its 
origin  back  to  the  Reformation  and  claims  to  be  the 
direct  descendant  of  Zvvingli  at  Zurich,  Calvin  at 
Geneva,  and  of  the  authors  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism, 
Ursinus  and  Olevianus  at  Heidelberg.  It  was  founded  by 
Germans  and  Swiss,  who  came  to  America  in  the  early  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  Its  history  is  divided  into  three 
parts:  I.  The  Period  of  the  Coetus;  II.  The  Period  of  the 
Synod;  III.  The  Period  of  the  General  Synod. 

I.     The  Period  of  the  Coetus  (i 725-1 792) 

The  first  congregation  was  founded  by  Rev.  John  Henry 
Hoeger  at  Germana  Ford,  on  the  Rapidan  River,  Virginia,  in 
1 714.  This  congregation  afterward  removed  westward  and 
founded  what  are  now  the  Reformed  Churches  of  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley.  But  Pennsylvania  was  the  early  stronghold  of 
the  Church.  Rev.  Samuel  Guldin  came  to  America  in  1710, 
but  although  he  occasionally  preached,  yet  he  seems  to  have 
done  nothing  toward  organizing  the  Church.  The  Church 
owes  its  first  organization  to  a  layman,  John  Philip  Boehm,  a 
schoolmaster  who  lived  east  of  Norristovvn,  Pa.,  at  Witpen. 
He  was  assisted  in  this  by  another  schoolmaster,  Conrad 
Templeman,  near  Lebanon.  Boehm,  owing  to  the  lack  of 
ordained  ministers,  was  asked  by  the  Reformed  people  to  hold 
religious  services  and  perform  ministerial  acts.  He  after  some 
hesitancy  complied  and  organized  three  congregations,  Falkner 
Swamp  (east  of  Pottstown,  Pa.),  Skippack,  up  the  Perkiomen 

148 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.     149 

Valley,  and  White-Marsh,  north  of  Philadelphia,  in  1725.  In 
1727  he  also  organized  the  congregations  at  Conestoga  (near 
Lancaster)  and  Tulpehocken  (near  Lebanon).  These  congre- 
gations adopted  a  constitution  drawn  up  by  him.  In  it  the 
creeds  are  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  and  the  Canons  of  Dort, 
and  the  congregational  organization  was  presbyterial.  In 
1727  Rev.  George  Michael  Weiss  came  from  Heidelberg  to 
Pennsylvania  and  founded  the  congregation  at  Philadelphia. 
The  coming  of  Rev.  Michael  Schlatter  in  1746  led  to  the 
completed  organization  of  the  Church.  He  came  over,  ap- 
pointed by  the  Reformed  Church  of  the  Netherlands,  with  in- 
structions to  organize  the  German  Reformed  congregations  of 
Pennsylvania.  With  great  energy  and  diligence  he  travelled 
through  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  even  Virginia  and  led 
to  the  organizations  of  a  coetus  at  Philadelphia,  September  29, 
1747,  in  which  were  four  ministers  and  the  representatives  of 
twelve  charges.  A  coetus  did  not  have  the  authority  of  a 
classis  or  presbytery,  for  this  coetus  was  under  the  authority  of 
the  Classis  of  Amsterdam  in  Holland.  It  did  not  have  the 
right  of  separate  jurisdiction  (could  not  ordain)  without  the  au- 
thority of  that  classis  and  its  actions  were  reviewed  by  it.  In 
1748  the  second  coetus  was  held  at  Philadelphia,  which  com- 
pleted the  organization  by  adopting  a  constitution  which  was 
Boehm's  constitution  of  1725  somewhat  enlarged.  Like  it,  it 
made  the  creeds  of  the  Church  to  be  the  Heidelberg  Cate- 
chism and  the  Canons  of  Dort,  and  its  government  was  pres- 
byterial. Mr.  Schlatter  went  back  to  Europe,  but  returned  in 
1752,  bringing  with  him  six  young  ministers  sent  by  the  Re- 
formed Church  of  the  Netherlands.  These  were  followed  by 
others  sent  over  by  the  same  Church.  The  coetus  continued 
under  the  control  of  the  Church  in  Holland  until  1792.  Dur- 
ing that  time  the  Holland  Church  sent  over  thirty-eight  min- 
isters and  spent  about  ^20,000  on  the  Pennsylvania  Churches. 
During  that  period  the  Church  spread  south  as  far  as  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia,  and  north  and  east  into  New  Jersey, 


150     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

New  York,  and  even  to  Nova  Scotia,  though  the  more  distant 
congregations  were  never  connected  with  the  coetus.  In  1792 
the  coetus  virtually  declared  itself  independent  of  the  Church 
in  the  Netherlands  owing  mainly  to  the  difficulty  of  corre- 
spondence across  the  ocean. 

II.  The  Period  of  the  Synod 
The  first  meeting  of  the  synod  was  held  at  Lancaster,  April 
27>  1793-  By  the  adoption  of  a  new  constitution  it  became 
independent  of  Holland.  The  statistics  of  the  Church  at  that 
time  were  twenty-two  ministers,  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  congregations  and  about  fifteen  thousand  members.  The 
first  problem  before  the  synod  was  the  change  of  language 
from  German  to  English.  This  led  to  conflicts  in  some  of  the 
congregations,  notably  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore.  It  was 
finally  solved,  after  many  years  of  controversy  and  much  loss 
to  the  denomination,  by  the  gradual  introduction  of  the  Eng- 
lish language  into  the  church  services.  The  second  problem 
before  the  synod  was  the  supply  of  ministers.  In  1820  the 
synod  which  had  just  divided  itself  into  classes  decided  to 
found  a  theological  school,  but  owing  to  various  difficulties  the 
theological  seminary  did  not  open  until  1825,  when  it  opened 
at  Carlisle  with  Rev.  Lewis  Mayer,  D.  D.,  as  the  theological 
professor.  In  1824  the  Ohio  classis  broke  away  from  the 
Pennsylvania  Synod  on  account  of  the  right  of  ordination, 
and  founded  the  Ohio  Synod  (1824-1863).  In  1822  the  Free 
Synod  of  Pennsylvania  separated,  but  returned  in  1837.  In 
a  similar  way  an  independent  synod  was  formed  in  Ohio 
(1846-1852).  In  1838  the  Ohio  Synod  also  tried  to  found  a 
theological  seminary  at  Canton,  Ohio,  but  it  failed,  as  did  a 
similar  attempt  at  Columbus  ten  years  later.  In  1850  it 
founded  Heidelberg  College  and  Theological  Seminary  at 
Tiffin,  Ohio.  In  1841  the  Church  observed  a  centenary  year 
and  raised  considerable  money  for  benevolent  objects.  The 
common   custom   of  the  Church  was  catechization,  although 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.    151 

there  had  been  revivals  in  the  Church  from  the  beginning. 
And  from  1 8 29-1 844,  a  revival  wave  spread  over  the  Church, 
out  of  which  came  a  number  of  aggressive  movements  such  as 
the  founding  of  Sunday-schools,  missions  (home  and  foreign) 
and  publication  interests. 

In  1844  the  liturgical  controversy  began.  Rev.  John  W. 
Nevin,  D.  D.,  and  Philip  Schaff,  D.  D.,  were  the  leaders  in  it. 
Dr.  Nevin  became  professor  of  the  theological  seminary  at 
Mercersburg  in  1840,  and  Dr.  Schaff  in  1844.  The  inaugural 
address  of  Professor  Schaff  in  1844  began  the  controversy.  It 
was  entitled  ''The  Principle  of  Protestantism,"  and  was  at- 
tacked in  the  Eastern  Synod  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Berg,  D.  D.,  for  its  Ro- 
manizing tendencies.  In  1847  the  Mercersburg  Theology  was 
formulated  by  Professors  Nevin  and  Schaff,  the  former  publish- 
ing "The  Mystical  Presence"  and  the  latter,  "What  is 
Church  History."  Out  of  Mercersburg  Theology  grew  a 
liturgical  movement  which  began  to  show  itself  at  the  Eastern 
Synod  in  1847.  In  1852  the  synod  took  more  radical  action 
ordering  a  liturgy  to  be  framed  not  only  on  the  basis  of  the 
Reformed  liturgies,  but  of  the  early  liturgies  of  the  Christian 
Church.  In  1857  this  "  Provisional  Liturgy  "  was  pubhshed. 
Gradually  a  severe  controversy  arose  in  the  Eastern  Synod 
about  its  use.  This  controversy  was  temporarily  allayed  by  the 
Tercentenary  Jubilee  of  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  in  1863. 
This  began  with  a  large  convention  at  Philadelphia,  January, 
1863,  and  continued  until  May,  1864.  During  the  year  a 
tercentenary  offering  for  church  benevolences  was  made  which 
amounted  to  about  ;^  100,000. 

III.  The  Period  of  the  General  Synod 
In  1863,  in  connection  with  the  Tercentenary  celebration, 
the  Eastern  and  Ohio  Synods  united  to  form  a  General  Synod, 
whose  first  meeting  was  held  at  Pittsburgh,  November  18,  1863. 
One  of  the  first  questions  that  came  before  it  was  the  liturgical. 
It  ordered  the  Eastern  Synod  to  revise  the  Provisional  Liturgy 


152     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

and  later  permitted  the  Ohio  Synod  to  publish  a  low-church 
liturgy  (1869).  The  Eastern  Synod  then  published  the  Order 
of  Worship  in  1867.  The  General  Synod  permitted  both  the 
Order  of  Worship  and  the  Western  Liturgy  to  be  used,  but 
neither  was  adopted  constitutionally  by  being  sent  down  to  the 
classis  for  adoption.  This  liturgical  controversy  was  ended  in 
1878  by  the  appointment  of  a  Peace  Commission  by  the  Gen- 
eral Synod,  which  was  later  ordered  to  draw  up  a  liturgy,  and 
finally  the  Directory  of  Worship  was  adopted  by  the  General 
Synod  (1887)  and  by  the  classes  as  the  official  liturgy  of  the 
Church. 

The  period  of  the  General  Synod  since  the  Peace  Movement 
in  1878-1887  has  been  characterized  by  a  large  increase  in  the 
missionary  and  benevolent  activities  of  the  Church.  Home 
missionary  work  began  to  be  organized  in  18 19  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  missionary  committee  by  the  Eastern  Synod.  In 
1826  a  missionary  society  was  formed  and  in  1832  a  missionary 
board.  In  1845  the  Ohio  Synod  elected  a  missionary  board. 
These  boards  of  the  Eastern  and  Ohio  Synods  were  united  in 
one  board  by  the  General  Synod  in  1863,  but  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Board  did  not  become  very  active  until  1889  to  1892. 
Since  then  its  work  has  greatly  grown.  It  reports  (19 14)  two 
hundred  and  eleven  missions,  of  which  sixty-six  are  German, 
ten  Hungarian,  three  Bohemian,  and  one  Japanese. 

Out  of  the  home  missionary  work  grew  foreign  missionary 
activity.  The  Eastern  Synod  in  1838  selected  the  first  foreign 
mission  board.  This  labored  in  connection  with  the  American 
Board  up  to  1865  in  the  support  of  Rev.  B.  Schneider,  D.  D., 
at  Aintab,  Syria.  In  1878,  after  the  Peace  Movement,  the 
Board  was  reorganized  by  the  General  Synod  and  Japan  was 
chosen  as  its  field.  The  first  missionary  was  sent  out  in  1879, 
followed  in  1883  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Moore,  now  the  senior  mis- 
sionary in  Japan.  In  1885  the  mission  united  with  the  Presby- 
terian Churches  (North  and  South)  and  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  in  forming  <*The  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan."     In 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.    153 

1 90 1  China  was  chosen  as  a  second  missionary  field,  and  a 
mission  established  in  the  Province  of  Hunan  by  Rev.  W.  E. 
Hoy,  D.  D.  It  reports  (19 14)  about  fifty  missionaries  and 
about  2,500  church  members. 

The  third  agency  of  the  General  Synod  is  the  Board  of 
Publication  and  Sunday-School  Work.  The  first  publication 
of  the  Church  was  in  1827,  the  Magazine  of  the  German 
Reformed  Church,  changed  later  to  The  Reformed  Church  Mes- 
senger. In  1840  the  Eastern  Synod  started  a  printing  estabhsh- 
ment  at  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  which  was  burned  down  in  the 
Civil  War  by  the  Confederates,  and  the  publication  establish- 
ment was  removed  to  Philadelphia.  In  1848  Ohio  Synod 
established  a  Board  of  Publication  which  published  The 
Christian  World,  now  The  Western  Missionary.  In  1840 
a  German  church  paper  was  started,  now  The  Refortned 
Kirchenzeitung,  published  at  Cleveland.  In  1849  The  Mer- 
cersburg  Review  was  begun,  later  changed  into  The  Refortned 
Church  Review.  In  1858  the  German  Synods  started  a  publi- 
cation movement  which  built  up  the  Central  Publication 
House  in  Cleveland,  Ohio.  The  Reformed  Record  was 
started  at  Reading,  Pa.,  in  1888.  This  Board  of  the  General 
Synod  also  supervises  the  Sunday-school  work  of  the  Church. 
The  first  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  the  First  Church, 
Philadelphia,  in  1806.  In  1887  the  General  Synod  reorganized 
the  Sunday-school  Board  and  elected  as  a  general  secretary 
Rev.  Rufus  W.  Miller,  D.  D.  The  fourth  board  appointed  by 
the  General  Synod  was  on  Ministerial  Relief.  The  oldest 
society  in  the  Church  was  a  society  for  the  relief  of  ministers 
and  their  widows  founded  in  1775.  It  has  been  enlarged  and 
is  still  doing  excellent  work.  In  1905  the  General  Synod  elected 
a  Board  of  Ministerial  Relief,  which  supplements  the  work  of 
the  other  society. 

Besides  these  agencies  directly  connected  with  the  General 
Synod  there  are  others  more  directly  connected  with  the  synods. 
First  are  the  educational  institutions  of  the  Church.     There  are 


154     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

three  theological  seminaries,  the  Reformed  Theological  Sem- 
inary at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  the  Central  Theological  Seminary  at 
Dayton,  Ohio,  and  the  Mission  House  at  Franklin,  Wis. 
There  are  also  a  number  of  colleges,  as  Franklin  and  Marshall 
at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Heidelberg  at  Tiffin,  Ohio,  Ursinus  at  Col- 
legeville.  Pa.,  the  Mission  House  at  Franklin,  Wis.,  Catawba 
at  Newton,  N.  C.  There  are  also  female  colleges  and  other 
educational  institutions.  Orphans'  homes  have  been  founded 
at  Womelsdorf,  Pa.,  Greenville,  Pa.,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind., 
Crescent,  N.  C,  and  near  Littlestown,  Pa.  There  are  other 
benevolent  institutions,  as  hospitals  and  deaconess  training 
schools. 

The  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  belongs  to  the 
Calvinistic  or  Presbyterian  family  of  churches.  Many  of  its 
ministers,  however,  have  emphasized  Zvvinglianism  rather  than 
Calvinism.  Its  creed  is  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.  Its  govern- 
ment is  the  presbyterial.  Its  courts  rise  from  the  congregation, 
through  the  classis  and  synod,  up  to  the  General  Synod. 
Baptism  is  by  sprinkling,  and  the  Lord's  Supper  is  generally 
observed  by  the  communicants  coming  forward  and  standing 
at  the  chancel.  Confirmation  is  practiced  as  a  public  act  of 
confession  of  faith.  In  worship  the  service  is  semi-liturgical ; 
that  is,  the  Sabbath  services  are  generally  free  (although  a 
number  of  congregations  use  a  liturgical  service),  but  all  use 
liturgical  forms  for  the  occasional  services,  as  sacraments, 
marriage,  ordination,  etc. 

As  to  church  union  it  has  always  been  favorable.  Like 
its  founder,  Zwingli,  who  held  out  his  hand  to  Luther  at 
the  conference  at  Marburg  in  1529,  the  Reformed  Church  has 
always  been  irenic.  Several  efforts  have  been  made  for  union 
with  other  Churches.  Three  efforts  have  been  made  to  unite 
it  with  the  Reformed  Church  in  America  or  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Church  (in  1844,  i874>  1888-1890)  and  such  an 
effort  is  now  being  made  by  committees  of  both  Churches. 
The   Churches  are  so  much  alike  in  name  and  organization 


THE  EEFOEMED  CHUECH  IN  THE  U.  S.    155 

that  it  is  to  be  hoped  a  union  will  be  effected.  In  1908-19 14 
committees  on  union  were  appointed  between  the  Presbyterian 
Church  (North)  and  our  Church,  but  the  effort  failed.  The 
Church  is  a  member  of  the  Alliance  of  the  Presbyterian 
Churches  holding  the  Presbyterian  System,  and  of  the  Council 
of  the  Reformed  Churches,  and  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  and  has  for  a  number  of  years 
been  in  delightful  correspondence  with  other  denominations. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  The  Historical  Handbook  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the 
U.  S.,"  by  Rev.  Prof.  James  I.  Good,  D.  D.  Pub- 
lication and  Sunday-School  Board  of  the  Reformed 
Church,  191 5. 


XXI 

The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church 

THE  student  of  church  history  does  not  fail  to  discern 
that,  in  the  Anglican  Church,  at  the  Reformation, 
were  two  distinct  and  opposing  lines  of  thought  and 
practice.  One  was  Evangelical ;  the  other.  Sacerdotal.  One 
was  Protestant ;  the  other,  Roman.  Those  two  lines  of  oppos- 
ing thought  have  been  in  that  Church  ever  since.  It  is  not 
unnatural  that  they  also  found  their  place  in  the  American 
branch  of  the  Anglican  Church,  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church.  When  the  influence  of  the  Oxford  Revival  became 
pronounced  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  there  began 
in  that  Church  a  period  of  conflict  between  the  parties  of  oppo- 
site tendency — Low  and  High,  Evangelical  and  Sacerdotal, 
Protestant  and  Roman. 

The  culmination  of  this  conflict  came  in  the  fall  of  1873. 
The  Rt.  Rev.  George  David  Cummins,  D.  D.,  assistant  bishop 
of  the  Diocese  of  Kentucky,  being  in  New  York  City  for  a 
meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  participated  in  a  celebra- 
tion of  the  Holy  Communion,  with  ministers  of  other  Churches, 
in  a  Presbyterian  church. 

"  It  was  a  bold  and  manly  recognition,  on  the  part  of  one 
of  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
of  the  full  ministerial  authority  of  non-episcopal  orders,  and 
the  value  of  non-episcopal  sacraments.  But  the  flood-gates  of 
reproach  were  opened  upon  the  bishop  who  had  thus  stepped 
out  of  the  beaten  track  heretofore  pursued  by  the  overseers 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  Convinced  that  there 
could  be  no  such  liberty  of  action  peaceably  permitted  in  the 

156 


THE  EEFOEMED  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH     157 

Church  in  which  he  had  preached  Christ  for  nearly  thirty 
years,  he  determined  to  end  all  controversy  by  a  voluntary 
withdrawal  from  the  office  of  assistant  bishop  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  Diocese  of  Kentucky,  and  from  the 
communion  of  that  Church  itself. 

''His  letter  to  Bishop  Smith,  the  presiding  bishop  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  in  which  Bishop  Cummins  an- 
nounces his  intended  course,  distinctly  asserts  that  he  with- 
draws in  order  to  '  transfer  his  work  and  office  to  another 
sphere  of  labor.'  He  adds,  '  I  have  an  earnest  hope  and  confi- 
dence that  a  basis  for  the  union  of  all  Evangelical  Christendom 
can  be  found  in  a  communion  which  shall  retain  or  restore 
a  primitive  Episcopacy  and  a  pure  Scriptural  Liturgy,  with 
fidelity  to  the  doctrine  of  Justification  by  faith  only — Articulus 
Stantis  vel  Cadentis  Ecclesicd — a  position  to  which  the  Old 
Catholics  in  Europe  are  rapidly  tending,  and  which  has  already 
taken  a  definite  form  in  the  "  Church  of  Jesus  "  in  Mexico.'  " 

On  the  second  day  of  December,  1873,  the  new  Church  was 
organized  in  the  city  of  New  York,  with  Bishop  Cummins  as 
its  presiding  bishop.  In  one  sense  it  was  not  a  new  Church, 
but  the  old  Episcopal  Church.  In  his  opening  address,  at 
the  First  General  Council,  Bishop  Cummins  said : 

"We  have  not  met  to  destroy,  but  to  restore;  not  to  pull 
down,  but  to  reconstruct.  .  .  .  And  one  in  heart,  in  spirit, 
and  in  faith  with  our  fathers,  who  at  the  very  beginning  of  the 
existence  of  this  nation  sought  to  mold  and  fashion  the  ecclesi- 
astical polity  which  they  had  inherited  from  the  Reformed 
Church  of  England,  by  a  judicious  and  thorough  revision  of 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  we  return  to  their  position  and 
claim  to  be  the  old  and  true  Protestant  Episcopalians  of  the 
days  immediately  succeeding  the  American  Revolution.  And, 
through  our  ancestors,  we  claim  an  unbroken  historical  con- 
nection, through  the  Church  of  England,  with  the  Church  of 
Christ  from  the  earliest  Christian  era." 

The  first  formal  document  put  forth  was  the  following  Dec- 
laration of  Principles,  adopted  on  the  day  of  organization  : 


158     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 


The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church,  holding  *'the  faith 
once  delivered  unto  the  saints,"  declares  its  belief  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  the 
Word  of  God,  and  the  sole  Rule  of  Faith  and  Practice ; 
in  the  Creed  ''commonly  called  the  Apostles'  Creed"; 
in  the  divine  institution  of  the  Sacraments  of  Baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper ;  and  in  the  doctrines  of  grace 
substantially  as  they  are  set  forth  in  the  Thirty-nine  Articles 
of  Religion. 

II 

This  Church  recognizes  and  adheres  to  Episcopacy,  not 
as  of  divine  right,  but  as  a  very  ancient  and  desirable  form 
of  church  polity. 

Ill 

This  Church,  retaining  a  liturgy  which  shall  not  be 
imperative  or  repressive  of  freedom  in  prayer,  accepts  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer,  as  it  was  revised,  proposed  and 
recommended  for  use  by  the  General  Convention  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  a.  d.  1785,  reserving  full 
liberty  to  alter,  abridge,  enlarge,  and  amend  the  same,  as 
may  seem  most  conducive  to  the  edification  of  the  people, 
"provided  that  the  substance  of  the  faith  be  kept  entire." 


IV 

This  Church  condemns  and  rejects  the  following  erro- 
neous and  strange  doctrines  as  contrary  to  God's  Word  : 

Firsts  That  the  Church  of  Christ  exists  only  in  one 
order  or  form  of  ecclesiastical  polity  : 

Second^  That  Christian  ministers  are  "priests"  in  an- 
other sense  than  that  in  which  all  believers  are  "a  royal 
priesthood  "  : 

Third,  That  the  Lord's  Table  is  an  altar  on  which  the 
oblation  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  is  offered  anew 
to  the  Father : 

Fourth,  That  the  Presence  of  Christ  in  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per is  a  presence  in  the  elements  of  Bread  and  Wine : 

Fifth,  That  Regeneration  is  inseparably  connected  with 
Baptism. 


THE  REFOEMED  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH     159 

The  practice  of  the  Church  is  in  harmony  with  these  prin- 
ciples. 

Possessing  the  Historic  Episcopate  it  yet  seeks  the  fellowship 
of  all  Protestant  Evangelical  Churches,  exchanges  pulpits  with 
their  ministers,  and  unites  with  them  at  the  Lord's  Table ;  it 
commends  any  bishop,  presbyter,  or  deacon  who  desires  to 
leave  it,  to  another  Evangelical  Church,  with  its  prayers  and 
love;  it  denies  the  necessity  of  the  reordination  of  ministers 
coming  to  it  from  another  Church ;  it  invariably  receives  to  its 
membership  by  letter,  or  other  satisfactory  evidence,  communi- 
cants of  other  Churches,  dispensing  with  confirmation  unless 
desired. 

Rejecting  the  dogma  of  the  priesthood  of  the  minister  of 
Christ  as  unscriptural  and  dangerous,  leading  to  many  super- 
stitions, it  strikes  the  word  priest,  as  applied  to  the  minister, 
from  its  Ordinal  and  Prayer-Book,  and  knows  but  one  priest, 
Christ  Jesus. 

Holding  the  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  Holy  Communion 
as  ordained  by  Christ,  it  regards  the  Sacraments  as  institutions 
divinely  appointed,  and  as  means  of  grace,  because  they  repre- 
sent the  truth ;  but  repudiates  the  theory  that  they  convey  a 
grace  peculiar  to  themselves,  and  which  is  not  common  to 
other  divinely  appointed  means. 

Giving  first  place  to  its  historic  liturgy,  it  allows  and  encour- 
ages the  union  of  extempore  prayer  with  its  liturgy,  and  values 
meetings  for  social  worship,  in  which  the  laity  participate,  as 
promoting  the  spiritual  growth  of  churches. 

"Such,  in  history,  doctrine,  and  worship,  is  the  Reformed 
Episcopal  Church.  Its  members  are  not  a  vast  multitude,  but 
they  remember  that  when  the  Lord  had  ascended  up  on  high, 
and  His  only  Church  was  at  Jerusalem,  '  the  number  of  the 
names  together  was  about  an  hundred  and  twenty. ' 

"  Confident  in  the  Scriptural  character  of  their  liturgy,  and 
recognizing  the  growing  love  of  liturgical  worship  among  all 
Protestants,  they  believe  with  the  deepest  convictions  of  their 


160     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

souls  that,  without  trenching  upon  the  special  field  of  any  of  the 
older  denominations  of  believers,  there  is  a  far-reaching  work 
for  them  and  the  Church  of  their  love," 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

Price  :  "  The  History  of  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Church,' 
published  by  James  M.  Armstrong,  Philadelphia,  1902. 


XXII 

The  Evangelical  Association 

IN  the  apostolic  age  Paul  and  Apollos  were  both  great 
preachers  and  leaders.  Their  methods  and  style  of 
preaching  might  differ,  but  they  were  one  in  their  aims, 
one  in  their  devotion  to  Christ,  one  in  their  conception  of  the 
Christian  life,  and  so  it  came  to  pass  that  while  Paul  planted 
and  Apollos  watered,  God  gave  the  increase,  and  the  Church 
realized  that  "  both  he  that  planteth  and  he  that  watereth  are 
one." 

Denominational  groups,  dividing  into  many  branches,  grew 
in  other  countries  in  a  like  manner  from  the  ''plant  of  re- 
nown," Christ  Jesus.  This  has  not  destroyed  the  effectiveness 
of  the  Gospel,  but  spread  it  abroad  in  a  multiplicity  of  activi- 
ties and  variety  of  forms.  The  Evangelical  Association  is  such 
a  branch,  an  integral  part  of  the  great  Church,  whose  origin 
and  segregation  were  so  manifestly  of  God  rather  than  of  men 
that  its  legitimacy  cannot  be  reasonably  questioned.  Its  roots 
extend  down  into  the  vital  life  of  organic  evangelism,  while  its 
activities  developed  in  a  well  defined  field  of  service.  We  be- 
lieve it  was  called  into  being  for  a  specific  purpose,  and  en- 
titled to  be  vitally  incorporated  with  the  great  body  of  the 
Church  universal. 

The  Evangelical  Association  traces  its  origin  to  the  labors 
of  Jacob  Albright,  the  son  of  a  German  immigrant,  among  the 
German  citizens  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  in  the  beginning  of 
the  nineteenth  century.  In  the  estimation  of  some  this  may 
not  be  an  origin  to  be  proud  of,  for  it  is  not  unusual  to  refer 
to  the  "Pennsylvania  Dutch"  in  derogatory  language.     To 

i6i 


162     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUKCIL 

disparage  them,  the  rudest  specimens  are  selected  and  placed 
side  by  side  with  the  most  refined  examples  of  another  race, 
and  then  we  are  bidden  to  "  look  upon  this  picture  and  that.'* 
The  spirit  of  charity  leads  us  to  believe  that  this  may  often  be 
ascribed  to  a  lack  of  knowledge  as  to  the  true  character  of 
these  sturdy  people.  They  have  had  no  truthful  expositor  of 
their  peculiar  traits,  quaint  customs  and  traditions,  religious 
and  other  praiseworthy  characteristics.  Almost  every  other 
part  of  the  land  has  been  worked  over  in  literature,  philology 
and  social  customs.  The  books  on  folk-lore  and  descriptions 
of  life  and  custom  in  New  England,  the  South,  and  West,  are 
legion,  and  talented  authors  have  brought  all  that  is  best  in 
those  peoples  to  the  favorable  notice  of  the  country.  No  such 
champion  has  yet  appeared  in  literature  in  behalf  of  these 
Americans  of  Teutonic  descent,  and  therefore  they  are  often 
underrated  and  spoken  of  with  disparagement. 

It  is  conceded  that  the  earlier  generations  were  uncouth  and 
knew  nothing  of  Chesterfieldian  etiquette,  and  in  their  manner 
of  speech  were  frank  even  to  rudeness.  It  is  also  admitted 
that  although  they  were  of  Pietistic  blood,  and  came  to  this 
country  to  seek  greater  religious  liberty,  after  the  Revolution 
there  was  a  great  deterioration  in  morals  among  them.  They 
did  not  entirely  cast  off  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  for  they 
regarded  an  unbeliever  as  a  moral  monster ;  but  they  drifted 
into  formalism,  and  thence  to  lax  morality  and  open  ungodli- 
ness, so  that  a  religious  renovation  became  necessary  to  rede- 
velop the  nobler  traits  of  Teutonic  character. 

It  is  not  within  our  province  to  detail  all  the  facts  relating  to 
their  moral  and  spiritual  elevation,  but  our  historians  furnish 
abundant  evidence  that  the  Evangelical  Association  bore  no 
insignificant  part  in  the  reestablishment  and  further  advance- 
ment of  religion  among  these  people. 

Jacob  Albright,  the  founder  of  our  Church,  was  born  near 
Pottstown,  Pa.,  May  7,  1759,  and  grew  to  young  manhood 
with  few  opportunities  or  outward  inducements  for  spiritual 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION         163 

self-culture.  The  people  among  whom  he  lived  were  worldly 
minded,  and  had  lost  all  their  spiritual  vitality.  Piety  was 
almost  unknown,  liberalism  in  thought  and  indifference  to  the 
moral  code  were  almost  universal.  They  were  spiritually  dead, 
and  Sabbath  desecration,  intemperance  and  immorality  were 
common,  and  hardly  a  show  of  godliness  remained.  After 
Albright  became  the  father  of  a  family,  several  of  his  children 
died  in  early  youth  within  a  brief  period,  and  in  the  sorrow  of 
his  heart  over  their  loss,  and  through  the  funeral  sermons  of  a 
pious  minister  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  named  Anton 
Hautz,  he  was  led  to  seek  Christ,  and  experienced  the  definite 
change  of  heart  which  we  term  conversion.  Naturally  we 
trace  the  origin  of  the  evangelical  movement  which  resulted 
in  the  organization  of  the  Evangelical  Association  to  this  vital 
experience  of  Jacob  Albright.  It  is  the  real  key  to  the  type  of 
religion  for  which  this  Church  has  always  stood,  for  its  founder 
had  an  intense  zeal  for  souls,  prayed  much,  and  studied  deeply 
the  needs  of  the  people.  He  was  impressed  with  the  spiritual 
destitution  of  his  German  brethren  and  had  a  burning  desire 
for  their  salvation,  and  so,  in  the  same  year  that  William 
Carey,  the  pious  English  cobbler,  went  to  India  as  the  first 
missionary  of  modern  times  to  the  heathen,  Jacob  Albright, 
the  pious  Pennsylvania  German  brick  and  tile  maker,  rode 
forth  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  his  own  race  and  tongue  in 
Eastern  Pennsylvania.  It  soon  became  evident  that  he  was  a 
chosen  vessel,  and  he  was  known  far  and  wide  as  a  flaming 
evangelist.  He  preached  in  private  houses,  in  market-places, 
in  barns,  meadows  and  groves,  and,  if  opportunity  offered,  in 
churches,  extending  his  labors  west  of  the  Susquehanna,  and 
then  through  Maryland  to  Virginia,  looking  up  the  German 
settlements  and  establishing  appointments.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that 

I.  From  the  beginning  the  Evangelical  Association  has 
been  essentially  a  missionary  Church.  This  has  been  the  very 
heart  of  the  organism,  as  shown  by  its  origin  and  develop- 


16i     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

ment.  The  missionary  zeal  of  the  founder  was  enkindled  in 
the  hearts  of  his  successors.  In  1813  missionaries  were  sent 
to  New  York  State  to  the  German  settlements  and  then  to 
Canada,  and  in  18 16  to  Ohio,  and  the  period  from  that  date 
to  1840  was  one  of  territorial  expansion.  Westward  the  star 
of  empire  took  its  way,  and  Bishop  John  Seybert  became  a 
worthy  successor  of  the  founder  of  the  denomination,  and  he 
with  other  pioneers  found  many  open  doors  and  hungry  hearts, 
and  from  this  time  forward  there  was  a  steady  advance.  The 
Church  grew  in  influence,  her  borders  were  extended  and  her 
horizon  widened  until  the  Pacific  coast  was  reached,  and  out- 
posts established  from  the  great  Canadian  Northwest  to  the 
Lone  Star  State  in  the  South.  As  a  matter  of  course  the  chil- 
dren of  these  German  settlers,  east  and  west,  grew  up  under 
American  influences,  and  were  moulded  in  speech  by  the 
public  school  system,  so  that  there  has  been  a  marked  transi- 
tion to  the  English  language,  and  many  congregations  are  ex- 
clusively English.  But  this  change  of  language  has  not  cur- 
tailed our  sphere  of  influence,  but  given  us  opportunities  to 
enlarge  the  field  and  enter  open  doors  that  would  otherwise 
have  been  closed  to  us.  It  perhaps  never  occurred  to  Jacob 
Albright  that  the  movement  begun  under  his  ministry  was  to 
become  international  in  its  scope.  Yet  fifty  years  after  he 
began  to  sow  the  seed  of  the  Word  it  was  transplanted  to 
Germany,  born  largely  from  a  desire  of  immigrants  that  their 
relatives  in  the  fatherland  be  brought  in  touch  with  our  re- 
ligious system.  From  thence  it  extended  to  Switzerland, 
where  a  conference  was  organized  in  1879,  and  in  191 1  a 
missionary  was  sent  into  Russia  and  established  a  mission  in 
the  city  of  Riga.  The  Japan  mission  was  established  in  1875, 
this  being  the  first  heathen  mission  of  the  denomination,  the 
first  missionaries  being  the  Rev.  Frederick  Krecker,  M.  D., 
the  Rev.  A.  Halmhuber,  and  Miss  Rachel  Hudson.  We  now 
have  a  conference  with  its  Seminary  and  Training  School  for 
Women  and  other  necessary  adjuncts  for  effective  work.     In 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION         165 

1903  a  mission  was  established  in  China,  in  Shenchowfu  in 
the  Province  of  Hunan,  where  valuable  property  has  been  ac- 
quired, schools  founded,  and  native  evangelists  are  being 
trained.  The  city  of  Tungranfu  in  the  Province  of  Kwei- 
chow  has  since  been  taken  up  as  the  headquarters  of  a  medi- 
cal mission,  and  a  hospital  and  boys'  and  girls'  schools 
established.  In  addition,  Pusi,  Shenchi  and  Chupu  have 
been  chosen  as  out-stations,  and  are  being  manned  by  native 
Chinese  workers.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  this  denomina- 
tion, growing  up  '*  as  a  root  out  of  dry  ground,"  having  no 
form  nor  comeliness,  often  despised  and  rejected,  and  yet  ever 
true  to  the  purpose  of  its  founder,  has  shown  that  its  mission- 
ary spirit  and  motive  lends  itself  readily  and  energetically  to 
the  great  concerted  modern  movement  for  missions. 

2.  The  Evangelical  Association  has  stood  four-square  for 
her  insistence  on  private  and  public  morals.  It  was  instituted 
as  a  protest  against  the  lax  practices  of  the  day  when  immoral- 
ity flourished  and  the  bottle  and  glass  were  in  nearly  every 
home.  A  pastor  coming  from  New  York  said  it  was  difficult  to 
make  pastoral  visits  for  a  day  without  becoming  at  least  par- 
tially intoxicated.  The  Book  of  Discipline,  which  contains 
the  fundamental  law  of  the  Church,  setting  forth  its  principles 
and  the  regulations  which  control  it,  as  well  as  the  genius 
which  determines  its  form  and  method  of  government,  has 
always  contained  a  prohibition  clause,  forbidding  the  manu- 
facture, sale  or  use  of  liquor  in  any  form.  In  the  present  day 
movement  for  good  citizenship  this  denomination  has  been  a 
pioneer,  all  the  essential  principles  of  that  movement  being 
found  in  her  constitution.  Long  before  the  Methodistic  divi- 
sion of  1844  this  Book  of  Discipline  contained  a  clause  forbid- 
ding slavery,  and  in  every  other  movement  for  the  moral 
uplift  of  humanity  she  has  taken  her  place  on  the  firing  line, 
and  sounded  no  retreat.  The  condition  of  admission  into  the 
Church  is  an  earnest  desire  to  be  saved  from  sin  and  involves 
a  complete  renunciation  of  what  are  known  as  the  society  sins 


166     OHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUKCIL 

and  ungodly  amusements  of  the  day.  The  system  of  jurispru- 
dence is  simple  and  effective.  The  Church  aims  to  correct 
and  suppress  that  which  is  evil,  to  regulate  the  disorderly,  and 
to  exclude  the  unruly  and  criminal.  The  purpose  of  her 
disciplinary  administration  is  the  reformation  of  the  offender, 
the  vindication  of  the  Church  from  the  responsibility  and  re- 
proach of  evil  and  the  maintenance  of  her  pure  character. 
On  all  the  great  moral  issues  of  the  day  her  voice  rang  out  in 
clarion  tones  from  the  beginning,  and  this  dominant  note  in 
her  life  enabled  her  to  fall  into  line  with  every  concerted  move- 
ment of  the  Church  universal  for  the  moral  elevation  and 
social  welfare  of  man. 

3.  The  Evangelical  Association  was  born  with  a  great  love 
for  the  common  people.  Their  salvation  and  welfare  have 
been  the  burden  of  her  heart  from '  the  beginning.  The 
founder  was  a  working  man  of  humble  occupation,  and 
sought  those  of  his  own  class  wherever  he  went.  Deeply 
aware  of  his  want  of  educational  preparedness,  he  shrank  at 
first  from  the  very  thought  of  a  ministerial  career,  for  he  had 
an  exalted  conception  of  the  holy  office.  But  his  sympathy 
for  those  in  moral  destitution  around  him  led  him  to  pray  that 
God  might  raise  up  godly  men  to  preach  the  pure  Gospel  to 
them,  little  thinking  that  God  would  answer  that  prayer  by 
sending  him.  But  when  the  "  woe  is  me  "  came  upon  him, 
from  sheer  timidity  he  went  to  the  humble  class  among  whom  he 
had  been  reared.  As  the  Church  grew  and  multiplied,  not  a 
few  of  her  sober,  industrious,  thrifty  people  found  that  God 
was  prospering  them  in  house  and  in  store,  but  they  have  not 
forgotten  "the  rock  from  which  they  were  hewn,"  and  their 
hearts  and  purses  are  always  responsive  to  work  among  the 
masses.  The  church  Discipline  has  always  contained  a  clause 
that  "the  pews  in  our  churches  shall  be  forever  free,"  and 
there  has  been  no  classification  of  worshippers  in  this  respect. 
Nearly  five  hundred  deaconesses  in  Germany  and  Switzerland 
are  employed  in  hospitals  and  homes,  ministering  mostly  to 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION         167 

the  poorer  classes,  and  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  on  An- 
nual Conference  Sunday  it  is  not  unusual  to  have  a  congrega- 
tion of  two  thousand,  or  two  thousand  five  hundred  people, 
many  of  whom  have  walked  long  distances,  assemble  to  hear 
the  preaching  of  the  Word.  The  common  people  have  always 
heard  our  preachers  gladly,  and  in  the  great  united  effort  on 
the  part  of  Christendom  to  again  reach  the  masses  our  denom- 
ination will  gladly  become  a  factor  spontaneously  and  by  virtue 
of  her  past  relations  to  the  working  man  and  his  family.  Cer- 
tainly we  do  not  think  of  underrating  the  professional  classes. 
In  all  that  pertains  to  material  prosperity  in  the  United  States 
and  Canada  there  are  those  among  our  people  who  have  '*  made 
good."  Names  and  facts  could  be  cited  to  show  that  in  college 
and  university ;  in  legislative  and  political  employ ;  in  com- 
merce and  agriculture ;  in  manufactures  and  mercantile  pur- 
suits ;  in  medicine  and  theology  and  pulpit  oratory ;  in  the  arts 
and  sciences;  in  every  avocation  that  demands  intellectual 
ability  or  ingenious  skill  our  people  have  been  the  peers  of 
many  of  their  fellows.  But  they  would  not  be  true  to  the  tra- 
ditions of  the  Church  founded  by  the  humble  tile-maker, 
Jacob  Albright,  if  they  turned  their  backs  upon  the  poor  and 
lowly,  when  the  Master  whom  they  serve  was  constrained  to 
say  of  Himself,  ''  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the 
air  have  nests,  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his 
head." 

4.  The  Evangelical  Association  has  always  taken  an  interest 
in  the  stranger  within  our  gates.  The  Mayflower  of  German 
immigration  was  the  British  ship  Concord,  which  brought  the 
first  colony  to  this  country  in  the  autumn  of  1683.  They 
settled  in  the  province  of  William  Penn.  This  tide  of  settlers 
from  the  Fatherland  grew  so  large  that  more  than  30,000  fam- 
ilies came  in  between  1727  and  1776.  They  were  practically 
all  Protestants,  and  from  one  of  these  the  founder  of  this  de- 
nomination sprang,  and  among  their  descendants  he  began  his 
labors.     As  already  stated,  his  Church  to-day  is  being  rapidly 


1C>8     CTirKCIIES  OF  THE  FEDEKAL  COUNCIL 

forced  into  English  in  America.  A  large  part  of  her  members 
prefer  English, — in  fact,  many  of  the  young  people  can  no 
longer  understand  the  language  of  their  yxirents  sufficiently  to 
be  able  lo  woi^ihip  intelligently  and  to  editication.  Further- 
more, the  Cluirch  feels  the  world-wide  call ;  she  claims  the 
divinely  accorded  right  and  feels  the  duty  to  preach  in  any 
tongue  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  and  to  make  known 
among  all  nations  the  glory  and  grace  of  God.  She  has  been 
faithful  in  one  tongue,  and  is  praying  that  God  will  gi\-e  her 
rulership  in  many  others. 

And  thus  it  happens  that  although  she  established  her  first 
inunigrant  missions  at  the  [-wrts  of  Rdtimore,  Philadelphia  and 
New  York  for  the  Germans,  at  the  present  time  she  is  just  as 
eagerly  taking  up  the  work  among  the  Italians  who  have  been 
swarming  to  our  shores ;  and  in  Wellsville,  Ohio  ;  Chicago, 
Milwaukee,  Racine,  and  Bethlehem  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
sunny  Italy  are  being  Christianized  and  indoctrinated  by  our 
faithful  missionaries  and  teachers  and  are  being  added  unto 
the  Church.  It  is  this  breadth  of  sympathy  for  men  of  all 
racc^  that  qualities  us  for  the  great  work  of  fe(.1erateci  Christen- 
dom. We  realize  that  although  held  in  abeyance  tem^x>rarily 
by  the  Eurojx\in  w;ir,  the  invasion  of  America  by  the  nations 
of  Europe  will  continue  to  go  on  at  a  stupendous  rate.  Never 
before  has  the  world  seen  anything  like  it.  And  many  of  these 
foRigners  ha\-e  Ixx'u  coming  without  vital  religion,  without 
Christ,  without  the  Bible,  and  ha\-e  come  to  stay.  Among 
them  an?  those  who  are  willing  to  recei\-e  the  Gospel.  Their 
children  are  forging  to  the  front  in  our  public  schools,  and  in 
some  instances  taking  honors.  The  downward  drag  of  their 
national  sins  is  fearsome  and  furious.  But  we  need  not  falter, 
for  we  triumph  **  not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my 
Spirit,  saith  the  Lor!  of  Hosts."  And  the  spirit  of  holy  dar- 
ing will  help  us  to  win,  joining  with  our  sister  denominations  in 
any  mo\-ement  that  will  hasten  the  day  when  the  <•  knowleiige 
of  the  Lord  shall  coN-er  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea," 


THE  EVANGKLICiiL  ASSOCIATION         169 

for  it  is  better  a  thousand  folil  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  five 
hundreci  tongues  than  in  one  only. 

An  arlificial  organic  union  to  effect  this  purpose  would  mean 
such  a  toning  down  of  denoininalional  cluiraclerislics,  such  a 
modification  of  long-tried  ellicient  government,  sucli  a  recast- 
ing of  inetliods  wliich  have  proven  invaluable,  as  must  result 
in  the  loss  of  a  marked,  robust  individuality  and  of  consequent 
ineHiciency.  The  solution  of  the  problem  lies  in  fraternal  co- 
operative union  among  the  denominations  by  which  there  can 
be  secured  a  wise  economy  of  resources,  a  massing  of  forces  in 
any  crisis  or  along  any  lines  of  i)ublic  reform,  but  in  which  the 
organic  eflectiveness  of  denominational  individuality  of  life  and 
mellunls  is  nevertheless  retained. 

The  Evangelical  Association  possesses  such  an  individuality, 
as  is  evidenced  by  its  polity  and  doctrine.  Mer  polity  is  ag- 
gressive. Her  restless  energy  gives  birth  to  new  institutions, 
modes  of  organization,  and  improved  methods  of  work  as  the 
progress  of  Cliristianity  requires  and  the  needs  of  the  human 
race  demand,  and  yet  always  keeping  in  harmony  with  her  own 
constitutional  character.  1  ler  forms  and  governmental  structure 
are  stable  and  firm,  and  yet  possess  sullicient  elasticity  to  enable 
the  legislative  and  executive  powers  to  api)ly  her  forces  and 
direct  her  energies  to  all  classes,  thus  maintaining  her  life  and 
authority  under  all  exigencies,  and  adapting  her  work  to  the 
social  and  political  customs  of  any  clime  or  nation.  The  de- 
nomination is  not  hierarchal,  neither  is  it  congregational,  but 
avoiding  either  extreme  has  adopted  the  Episcopal  and  con- 
nectional  form  of  government.  Without  arrogating  to  herself 
any  superiority  over  other  branches  of  the  Christian  Church,  it 
may  be  allowable  to  say  that  for  her  s[)irit  and  purpose  this 
form  is  the  wisest  and  best. 

The  Episcopacy  is  a  general  superintendency,  not  a  separate 
order  nor  being  ordained  as  such,  elected  for  a  term  of  four 
years  only,  but  eligible  to  reelection.  None  of  the  bishops  has 
a  permanent   diocese,  for  they  are  jointly  responsible  for  the 


170     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

oversight  of  the  whole  connection.  They  preside  at  general 
and  annual  conference  sessions,  appoint  the  preachers  to  their 
charges,  serve  on  the  church  boards,  ordain  preachers,  and 
travel  throughout  the  whole  Church  to  preach  and  oversee  its 
spiritual  and  temporal  interests.  Next  to  them  in  authority  are 
the  presiding  elders  who  are  elected  by  the  Annual  Conference, 
and  assigned  a  certain  portion  of  its  territory  known  as  a  dis- 
trict, and  have  the  responsible  oversight  of  its  preachers  and 
official  lay  members. 

There  are  two  orders  in  the  ministry,  deacons  and  elders, 
who  are  assigned  to  the  churches  annually,  within  a  limited 
term  of  seven  years.  The  clergy  are  all  members  of  an  Annual 
Conference,  of  which  there  are  twenty-five  in  the  denomination. 
From  these  delegates  are  chosen  every  four  years  to  constitute 
the  General  Conference,  which  is  the  supreme  court  of  law  and 
the  final  arbiter  of  all  controversy.  This  body  selects  the  gen- 
eral officers,  examines  and  passes  upon  the  transactions  of  An- 
nual Conferences  and  publishing  houses  and  various  boards,  and 
controls  all  the  affairs  of  the  denomination  at  home  and  abroad, 
including  all  the  affiliated  organizations,  such  as  the  Woman's 
Missionary  Society  and  Young  People's  Alliance.  There  is  lim- 
ited lay  representation  in  the  Annual  and  General  Conferences. 
Every  congregation  or  circuit  also  has  a  Quarterly  Conference 
to  control  its  local  affairs.  It  is  not  a  delegated  body,  but  is 
composed  of  the  official  members  of  the  parish.  The  itineracy 
is  the  keystone  to  the  arch  of  our  whole  economy,  and  by  its 
aggressive  zeal,  variety  of  methods,  power  of  adaptability  and 
heroic  self-denial  has  exemplified  applied  Christianity  under  all 
conditions  of  life,  by  the  promulgation  of  sound  doctrine,  the 
observance  of  spiritual  worship,  the  maintenance  of  strict  dis- 
cipline, and  the  edification  of  all  the  members  into  a  building 
of  true  holiness. 

As  to  doctrine,  in  common  with  the  orthodox  Church, 
the  Evangelical  Association  holds  and  asserts  that  the  Holy 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  are  the  Word  of 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION         171 

God,  of  infallible  truth  and  divine  authority.  The  interpreta- 
tion is  according  to  the  Wesleyan  system,  the  founder  having 
been  associated  with  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  early  days  of  his  Christian  experience.  The 
Articles  of  Faith  and  the  catechism  are  a  succinct  compilation 
of  orthodox  doctrine  from  this  point  of  view.  The  facts  and 
truths  which  belong  to  the  Scriptural  account  of  sin  and  redemp- 
tion form  the  staple  of  all  our  preaching.  We  believe  that,  in 
our  restless  and  agitated  nation,  in  these  days  of  bustling 
activity,  there  is  too  little  real  doctrinal  preaching.  The  day 
was  when  Churches  were  much  more  concerned  than  at  present 
about  the  truths  conveyed,  and  much  less  about  the  garbs  of 
truth.  Doctrine,  rather  than  speaking,  was  what  drew  the 
audience.  We  maintain  that  truth  is  the  life-blood  of  piety, 
without  which  we  cannot  maintain  its  vitality  or  support  its 
activity,  and  so  the  ambition  of  our  ministry  has  always  been  to 
preach  of  righteousness,  temperance  and  judgment  to  come 
until  the  sinner  trembled,  and  cried  out,  "  What  must  I  do  to 
be  saved?"  Annual  revival  meetings  area  feature  in  every 
congregation,  and  in  many  communities  the  old-fashioned 
*' bush-meeting,"  and  the  camp-meeting  with  primitive  tents 
are  still  in  vogue.  Without  any  attempt  at  display,  whether  in 
ritual,  worship  or  work,  our  people  take  a  short  cut  and  move 
with  a  swift  pace  to  reach  the  goal,  avoiding  those  irreverent 
methods  which  bring  reproach  upon  the  fair  name  of  Christian- 
ity, and  holding  up  the  divine  Christ  so  that  He  may  draw  all 
men  unto  Him. 

Thus  we  have  gone  out  to  possess  the  land  from  an  humble 
beginning,  until  our  ministry  and  missionaries  have  gone  two- 
thirds  of  the  way  around  the  globe,  the  evening  and  the  morn- 
ing twilight  meet,  and  no  longer  does  it  grow  entirely  dark 
within  our  denominational  bounds.  And  as  a  Church  we  see 
no  evidences  of  degeneracy  or  decay,  of  atrophy  or  lassitude  in 
our  ecclesiastical  being.  We  are  not  in  our  decrepitude,  but 
in  our  early  vigor.     A  future  glowing  with  auguries  of  hope 


172     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

and  promise  beckons  us  onward.  With  that  devout  reverence 
which  is  the  heritage  of  our  Germanic  origin,  and  acknowledg- 
ing the  God  of  our  fathers  in  all  our  ways,  we  are  praying  to 
be  permitted  to  transmit  our  church  name  to  posterity  un- 
tarnished in  splendor,  increasing  in  brightness,  and  illuminat- 
ing the  pages  of  our  history  with  all  that  is  noble  and  of  good 
report. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  Albright  and  His  Co-Laborers,"  by  Bishop  R.  Yeakcl. 

"  Bishop  Joseph  Long,"  by  Bishop  R.  Yeakel. 

"  History  of  the  Evangelical   Association,"  two  volumes  by 
Bishop  Yeakel. 

"  Evangelical  Landmarks,"  by  Bishop  S.  C.  Breyfogel,  D.  D., 
LL.D. 

"  Life  of  Bishop  Seybert,"  by  Bishop  S.  P.  Spreng,  D.  D. 

"  Congress  of  the  Evangelical  Association,"  by  Rev.  G.  C, 
Knobel,  M.  A. 

"  Flashlights  on  Evangelical  History,"  by  Rev.  A.  Stapleton, 
D.D. 

All  of  the  foregoing  may  be  had  at  the  Publishing  House  of 
the  Evangelical  Association,  1903  Woodland  Avenue, 
Cleveland,  Ohio. 


XXIII 
The  United  Evangelical  Church 

THE  United  Evangelical  Church  traces  her  origin  to 
the  labors  of  the  Rev.  Jacob  Albright  over  a  century 
ago. 

This  good  man  was  born  of  German  parentage  near  Potts- 
town,  Pa.,  May  i,  1759,  and  died  May  18,  1808.  He  was  a 
Lutheran  both  by  parentage  and  confirmation,  but  according  to 
his  own  account  he  was  destitute  of  a  saving  acquaintance  with 
Christ  and  in  consequence  spent  years  in  a  very  unhappy  spir- 
itual condition. 

After  his  marriage  soon  after  1790,  he  located  in  Earl  Town- 
ship, in  Lancaster  County.  At  that  time  there  was  a  consider- 
able awakening  in  that  region  through  the  labors  of  the  Method- 
ist and  United  Brethren  pioneers. 

About  1793  Albright  passed  through  a  season  of  severe  doi- 
mestic  affliction  by  which  he  was  made  the  subject  of  saving 
grace  through  the  labors  of  the  Reformed  evangelist,  Rev. 
Anthony  Houtz,  and  others.  He  then  united  with  the  Method- 
ist Church  and  was  given  "exhorter's  license."  He  was  prac- 
tically a  lay  evangelist. 

He  was  greatly  impressed  by  the  low  spiritual  condition  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Germans  and  resolved  to  devote  himself  en- 
tirely to  their  betterment.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  favor- 
able denominational  opening  for  the  carrying  out  of  his  dis- 
tinctive mission,  and  he  therefore,  in  1796,  entered  the  field  as 
an  independent  evangelist.  In  1800  he  organized  a  number  of 
his  adherents  into  "classes,"  and  in  1803,  having  secured  two 
young  men  as  assistant  evangelists,  he  held  a  General  Assembly 
at  which  tirn^  he  was  declared  to  be  "a  true  evangelical  min- 

173 


174     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

ister  of  the  Gospel,"  and  was  ordained  as  such.     Plans  were 
also  made  for  the  furtherance  of  the  work. 

In  1807,  having  gained  several  more  assistants,  and  the  work 
having  spread  considerably,  he  held  the  first  "  conference  "  at 
the  house  of  Samuel  Becker  near  Schafferstown,  Lebanon  County. 
There  were  present  five  itinerant  and  three  local  preachers,  be- 
sides twenty  class  officials.  An  episcopal  form  of  church  gov- 
ernment was  adopted  on  the  recommendation  of  Albright,  and 
he  was  directed  to  prepare  a  "  Book  of  DiscipHne  "  and  Arti- 
cles of  Faith. 

Albright  did  not  live  to  give  his  adherents  such  a  work,  as  he 
died  six  months  later  (May  18,  1808),  and  the  book  was  com- 
piled and  published  by  his  successor,  Rev.  George  Miller,  in 
1809.  Miller  also  published  a  short  biography  of  Albright  this 
same  year. 

It  was  not  Albright's  purpose  to  found  a  new  denomination, 
but  after  his  death  his  followers  continued  the  work  along  his 
chosen  lines  with  the  result  that  organization  followed  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course. 

Several  attempts  were  made  to  blend  the  incipient  Church 
with  one  of  the  older  evangelistic  bodies  but  without  success. 
The  one  great  bond  that  held  the  followers  of  Albright  together 
was  the  trend  given  them  by  the  founder,  namely,  the  evan- 
gelization of  the  Germans.  This  distinctiveness  of  mission  was 
lost  sight  of  by  the  giving  way  of  the  German  to  the  English 
language. 

In  1816  the  first  General  Conference  was  held.  This  body 
adopted  the  name  "  The  Evangelical  Association  "  in  place  of 
the  so-called  "Albrights,"  by  which  the  connection  had  been 
known.  During  this  year  the  first  church  edifice  was  erected, 
a  printing  house  established  at  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  and  a  line  of 
literature  provided  that  marks  the  real  beginning  of  denomina- 
tional life.  As  early  as  181 2  a  missionary  was  sent  to  the  state 
of  New  York,  Virginia  in  18 14,  and  Ohio  in  18 16. 

A  large  portion  of  the  Church  becoming  English,  a  full  line 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH     175 

of  English  literature  was  provided.  The  German  work,  how- 
ever, was  continued  among  the  immigrants  in  the  large  cities 
and  in  the  West.  Missionaries  also  were  sent  to  Germany  and 
Switzerland,  and  a  number  of  large  German  conferences  were 
formed. 

Organization  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church 

In  this  age  of  interdenominational  fellowship  and  broad- 
mindedness,  it  would  seem  ill  advised  to  give  a  detailed  ac- 
count of  the  causes  that  led  to  the  division  of  the  Evangelical 
Association  and  formation  of  The  United  Evangelical  Church. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  difficulties  were  not  of  a  doctrinal 
character,  but  grew  out  of  serious  differences  of  opinion  respect- 
ing the  legality  of  official  acts  of  bishops  and  legislative  bodies. 
A  large  minority  which  afterward  crystallized  into  the  United 
EvangeHcal  Church  held  that  the  actions  indicated  were  not 
only  undisciplinary,  but  also  subversive  to  the  very  genius  of  the 
Church. 

The  difficulties  culminated  at  the  General  Conference  of 
1887,  held  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  At  this  time  the  dissenters 
to  a  certain  action  formulated  a  protest  signed  by  almost  one- 
half  of  all  the  delegates  present.  The  body  unwisely  refused 
to  receive  and  record  the  protest  in  accordance  with  parlia- 
mentary practice.  The  protestants  felt  that  they  could  not  con- 
sistently submit  to  this  subversion  of  their  rights  and  carried 
their  contention  to  the  conscience  of  the  Church. 

The  Church  was  now  divided  into  a  "Majority"  and 
"Minority"  camp;  conferences  and  congregations  ranging 
themselves  in  one  or  the  other. 

In  1 89 1,  Dr.  H.  K.  Carroll,  editor  of  the  religious  depart- 
ment of  the  New  York  Independe7it,  now  an  Associate  Secre- 
tary of  the  Federal  Council,  with  other  prominent  churchmen, 
sought  to  bring  the  factions  together  by  arbitration.  To  this 
the  "Minority"  agreed,  and  four  hundred  and  forty-one 
ministers   signed  a  paper  agreeing  to  submit  to  an  impartial 


176     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

decision.  The  laity,  in  General  Convention  assembled,  also 
concurred. 

All  these  overtures  the  "  Majority  "  spurned  and  the  *'  Minor- 
ity," deeply  conscious  of  the  integrity  of  their  cause,  and  with 
humble  dependence  in  God,  turned  from  the  troubled  past  to 
a  brighter  and  more  hopeful  future.  The  first  General  Confer- 
ence of  the  "Minority"  was  held  in  Philadelphia  in  1891. 
Pending  the  outcome  of  litigation,  the  old  denominational 
name  for  the  time  being  was  retained. 

At  this  conference  Rev.  Rudolf  Dubs,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Rev. 
Wesley  M.  Stanford,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  Charles  S.  Raman,  were 
elected  as  bishops.  The  *'  Minority  "  maintained  a  publishing 
house  and  church  organs  in  both  the  English  and  German 
languages,  not,  however,  under  official  control. 

In  1894  the  first  regular  General  Conference  was  held  at 
Naperville,  111.     By  this  time  the  division  was  complete. 

The  conference  adopted  the  name  ''  The  United  Evangelical 
Church^^  to  designate  the  denomination.  The  publishing 
house  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  hitherto  conducted  by  a  syndicate, 
was  taken  over,  as  also  The  Evangelical^  published  at  the  latter 
place,  and  Die  Zeitschriff,  published  in  Chicago.  These  were 
made  the  official  organs  of  the  Church.  A  new  Book  of  Dis- 
cipline was  adopted  which  properly  represents  the  faith  and 
polity  of  the  Church,  and  safeguards  the  interests  of  all  in  a 
satisfactory  manner. 

The  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  and  other  so- 
cieties that  had  been  organized  were  adopted  as  church  institu- 
tions. A  Board  of  Publication  was  created  and  a  full  line  of 
denominational  literature  established. 

Activities  of  the  Church 

(i)  Membership.  Owing  to  the  adverse  causes  elsewhere 
mentioned,  the  growth  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church  has 
not  been  very  rapid.  Nevertheless  the  increase  has  been  of  a 
most  substantial  character.     There  are  at  this  time  (1915)  ten 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHUECH     177 

annual  conferences  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  over 
eighty-seven  thousand.  A  considerable  number  of  congrega- 
tions, especially  in  the  West,  still  use  the  German  language. 

(2)  Publishing  House.  The  publishing  house  of  the 
Church  at  Harrisburg  is  one  of  the  largest  and  best  equipped 
of  its  kind  in  the  state.  Its  assets  are  over  three  hundred  tliou- 
sand  dollars.  Besides  the  church  publications  it  does  an  enor- 
mous job  printing  business.  It  is  virtually  the  headquarters  of 
the  Church.     All  active  preachers  are  agents  of  the  house. 

(3)  Missionary  Work.  This  is  one  of  the  strong  features 
of  the  Church.  The  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
and  the  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  are 
the  chief  agencies  in  carrying  on  the  work.  Both  societies 
have  auxiliary  branches  in  all  the  conferences.  The  Young 
People's  Missionary  Society  and  Mission  Band  are  under  the 
care  of  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society.  The  missionary  con- 
tributions of  the  Church  for  191 3  were  ^114,000. 

(4)  Education.  The  Church  maintains  two  colleges. 
Albright  College  at  Myerstown,  Pa.,  serves  the  educational 
needs  of  the  Eastern  conferences,  and  Western  Union  College 
at  Le  Mars,  la.,  serves  for  the  West. 

The  Church  places  a  high  value  on  education,  and  the  con- 
ferences have  a  much  higher  standard  for  applicants  for  minis- 
terial orders  than  formerly. 

(5)  Other  Activities.  The  Keystone  League  of  Christian 
Endeavor  is  an  integral  part  of  the  General  or  Parent  Society, 
and  the  Church  has  a  representative  on  the  trustee  board  of  the 
General  Society.  The  Church  maintains  a  Benevolent  Society 
for  the  aid  of  disabled  ministers  and  their  families.  Deaconess 
work  is  carried  on  successfully  since  1907.  Some  of  the  con- 
ferences maintain  Ministerial  Aid  Societies  for  the  support  of 
disabled  ministers ;  Educational  Aid  Societies  for  the  support 
of  deserving  ministerial  students  ;  Bible  Conference  Societies 
for  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  and  systematic  Christian  work ; 
the  School  of  Methods  for  the  furtherance  of  the  missionary 


178     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

cause;  Historical  Societies  for  the  preservation  of  historical 
materials.  In  1915  ''The  United  Evangelical  Home"  was 
established  at  Levvisburg,  Penn. 

The  Chmch  stands  pledged  to  every  line  of  Christian  service, 
actively  cooperating  in  all  Temperance  and  Reform  Move- 
ments. She  quite  early  joined  hand  and  heart  in  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

Owing  to  the  recent  separation  of  the  United  Evangelical 
Church  from  the  Evangelical  Association,  the  early  history 
of  the  former  is  necessarily  bound  up  in  that  of  the  latter. 

Since  the  separation  there  has  been  pubHshcd  in  the  interest  of 
the  United  Evangelical  Church,  "  Evangelical  Annals,"  by 
Rev.  A.  Stapleton,  brought  out  by  the  Evangelical  Pub- 
lishing House,  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  in  1900. 

Also  "  Flashlights  on  Evangelical  History,"  by  the  same 
author,  pubHshed  by  the  Evangelical  Publishing  House, 
in  1908. 

The  "  Life  and  Times  of  Rev.  Jacob  Albright,"  same  author 
and  publisher,  will  shortly  appear  throwing  light  upon 
an  important  period  in  the  history  of  this  Church. 

Tne  official  books  of  the  Church  as  regards  doctrine  are  "  The 
Evangelical  Discipline,"  and  *'  Evangelical  Catechism," 
by  Rev.  Jacob  Hartzler. 


XXIV 

The  United  Brethren  in  Christ 

THE  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  arose  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  in  Eastern 
Pennsylvania  and  Maryland.  It  did  not  spring 
from  any  schism  or  doctrinal  or  ecclesiastical  controversies. 
The  chief  agent  in  the  founding  of  the  Church,  Philip  William 
Otterbein,  for  many  years  had  no  thought  of  originating  a  new 
denomination,  but  providential  circumstances,  through  a  suc- 
cession of  years  and  events,  gradually  and  almost  imperceptibly 
led  to  the  final  organization. 

The  elements  which  primarily  fused  into  the  United  Breth- 
ren denomination  were  partly  Reformed  and  partly  Mennonite. 
Philip  William  Otterbein  was  an  ordained  minister  in  the 
German  Reformed  Church,  and  Martin  Boehm,  a  co-laborer, 
was  an  approved  preacher  among  the  Mennonites.  Another 
of  the  earliest  leaders  was  Christian  Newcomer,  who  was 
also  a  Mennonite,  first  a  lay  preacher,  but  later  ordained  by 
Otterbein. 

To  make  more  clear  the  circumstances  which  led  to  the  or- 
ganization of  this  Church  as  well  as  its  distinctive  character- 
istics, brief  biographical  references  will  be  useful. 

Otterbein  was  born  June  3,  1726,  in  the  town  of  Dillenberg, 
in  the  Duchy  of  Nassau,  Germany,  now  designated  as  Wies- 
baden, lying  south  of  Westphalia.  His  native  town  was  the 
seat  of  a  prominent  Latin  school,  in  which  his  father,  a  German 
Reformed  minister,  was  a  teacher  and  over  which  for  a  time  he 
was  rector.  William's  education  was  begun  here  and  further 
carried  on  in  the  then  celebrated  Reformed  School  at  Herborn, 
a  town  three  miles  south  of  Dillenberg.     This  school,  though 

179 


180     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

in  one  cyclopaedia  termed  a  university,  was  scarcely  of  that 
rank.  From  it  Mr.  Otterbein  graduated  in  the  theological 
department  in  1748,  and  soon  after  became  a  preceptor  in  the 
school.  It  is  said  that  the  faculty  at  this  time  consisted  of  men 
not  only  eminent  in  learning  but  also  distinguished  for  a  prac- 
tical apprehension  of  the  spiritual  character  of  true  Christian- 
ity. Thus  the  influence  of  the  institution  was  joined  to  that  of 
a  pious  home  in  determining  in  him  that  noteworthy  spiritual 
life  and  power  which  marked  his  subsequent  career.  A  year 
or  two  later  he  was  ordained  to  the  office  of  the  holy  ministry 
in  the  Reformed  Church  and  was  appointed  a  vicar  at  Ockers- 
dorf,  a  village  near  Herborn.  His  earnest  spirit  may  be  in- 
ferred from  his  anomalous  procedure  of  establishing  a  weekly 
prayer-meeting  in  his  church,  a  form  of  service  almost  unheard 
of  and  by  many  esteemed  as  fanatical,  if  not  shameful.  His 
position  of  preceptor  at  Herborn  and  that  of  vicar  at  Ockers- 
dorf  he  continued  to  maintain  until  1752,  when  he  came  as  a 
missionary  to  America.  The  year  before  that  a  Rev.  Michael 
Schlatter  had  come  to  Herborn  seeking  for  missionary  recruits 
for  the  destitute  Reformed  Churches  in  America.  Six  young 
men  volunteered,  Mr.  Otterbein  being  one  of  them,  to  go  to 
distant  America  for  Christian  service.  The  faculty  at  Her- 
born, in  their  letter  of  recommendation,  referred  to  him  as  "  the 
truly  reverend  and  very  learned  Mr.  Philip  William  Otterbein." 
It  is  worthy  of  mention  that  not  only  was  Otterbein's  father 
a  minister,  but  his  grandfather,  his  own  five  brothers,  and  his 
eldest  brother's  four  sons  were  all  ministers  of  the  Gospel. 
The  Otterbeins,  it  will  be  seen,  were  a  family  of  decidedly 
religious  and  ministerial  predilections,  which  were  nourished 
in  William's  case  by  his  training  in  the  school  at  Herborn, 
where  under  the  guidance  of  two  or  three  of  the  professors, 
were  studied  the  theological  writings  of  Vitringa  and  Lampe, 
two  eminent  Dutch  divines,  who  in  turn  had  been  greatly  in- 
fluenced by  Johannes  Cocceius,  another  Dutch  divine,  of  whom 
it  was  said  that  "  he  was  a  man  mighty  in  the  Spirit  and  far  in 


THE  U:N^ITEB  BEETHEEN  in  CHEIST       181 

advance  of  most  men  of  his  time  in  the  apprehension  of  the 
work  of  God  in  Christ ;  "  who  "  based  his  theory  of  hfe  on  the 
Bible  j"  all  of  whose  teachings  had  a  highly  Biblical  rather 
than  speculative  tinge,  whose  "  peculiarity  was  not  scholastic, 
but  Biblical." 

The  pietism  of  Spener,  which  in  spirit  and  method  was  a 
struggle  after  purity  of  heart,  and  not  that  of  ecclesiastic  an- 
tagonism or  controversy,  was  also  influential  at  Herborn,  and 
Dr.  Doddridge's  work  on  the  <'  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion 
in  the  Soul"  and  his  "Sermons  on  Regeneration"  were  also 
given  respectful  attention. 

Learning  of  the  spiritual  destitution  among  the  Germans  in 
America,  he  determined  to  devote  his  labors  to  them,  and  in 
the  spirit  of  a  true  missionary  he  bade  his  native  land  and  his 
beloved  mother  farewell,  arriving  in  New  York  in  July,  1752. 

He  and  his  companions  came  as  German  Reformed  ministers 
to  labor  in  the  needy  German  Reformed  Churches  in  this 
country,  but  it  is  noteworthy  that  they  were  supplied  with  the 
necessary  outfit  and  partly  supported,  not  by  the  Reformed 
Churches  of  Germany — on  account  of  their  poverty  and  pos- 
sible indifference — but  by  the  Dutch  Reformed  Churches  of 
Holland.  This  ecclesiastical  breadth  and  generosity  must  have 
contributed  to  beget  and  foster  in  Otterbein  that  subsequently 
manifested  spirit  of  liberality  and  non-sectarianism  which  were 
so  marked  in  him  and  his  co-laborers,  both  lay  and  ministerial. 

Otterbein  served  Reformed  Churches  in  Lancaster,  Tulpe- 
hocken  and  York,  Pa.,  and  in  Frederick  City  and  Baltimore, 
Md.  It  is  well  known  that  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
eighteenth  century  the  state  of  religion  and  of  morals  was  at  a 
very  low  ebb  in  this  country.  Skepticism,  deism,  even  atheism 
became  generally  prevalent.  We  are  told  that  ''  about  the 
time  of  the  American  Revolution,  French  deism  culminated  in 
atheism ;  atheism  and  naturalism  in  materialism.  Doubt  soon 
became  almost  universal  and  scoffing  burst  into  a  "scream  of 
maniac    rage."     The   sophistical   and   scurrilous   writings  of 


182     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUI^CIL 

Voltaire,  Rousseau  and  Thomas  Paine  were  everywhere  read, 
Paine' s  works  being  all  the  more  influential  on  account  of  his 
prominent  and  useful  labors  in  favor  of  political  liberty.  Many 
of  the  most  prominent  men  were  avowed  skeptics.  Infidelity 
and  laxity  of  morals  are  always  mutually  reactive.  Accord- 
ingly it  is  but  natural  to  hear  of  the  deluge  of  immorality  which 
threatened  to  undermine  the  very  fabric  of  society.  A  Presby- 
terian Synod  in  1778  deplored  '*the  lamentable  decay  of  vital 
piety,"  "the  gross  immoralities  increasing  to  an  awful  de- 
gree." Intemperance,  gambling,  duelling,  profanity,  insub- 
ordination, licentiousness,  vulgarity,  everywhere  not  only  pre- 
vailed but  abounded.  It  is,  therefore,  only  natural  to  hear 
that  "great  laxity  of  morals  prevailed  "  in  some  of  the  congre- 
gations which  Otterbein  served,  and  that  "  he  found  it  necessary 
to  rebuke  sin  boldly,"  and  that  this  conflict  with  the  prevalent 
spiritual  apathy  and  vices  would  induce  a  thorough  inspection 
of  his  own  moral  and  spiritual  equipment,  to  see  how  he  him- 
self was  qualified  to  cope  with  the  situation.  In  connection 
with  this  a  circumstance  occurred  upon  the  delivery  of  one  of 
his  searching  sermons  which  drove  him  to  his  closet,  where 
after  a  prolonged  struggle  he  obtained  a  fuller  experience  of 
the  "regenerating  power  of  the  Gospel  and  a  more  satisfying 
witness  of  the  Spirit  to  his  personal  salvation." 

His  preaching  and  labors  soon  took  on  a  highly  evangelistic 
character,  and  he  made  visits  to  places  near  and  more  distant 
to  preach  and  invite  men  and  women  in  the  church  to  a  more 
vital  relation  to  the  Lord,  and  sinners  to  an  immediate  surren- 
der to  the  Saviour. 

The  Mennonite  preacher,  Martin  Boehm,  a  man  of  like 
spiritual  life  and  earnestness  to  Otterbein,  was  similarly  en- 
gaged in  seeking  to  promote  conversions  and  a  higher  type  of 
piety.  Otterbein  hearing  one  of  Boehm' s  plain  forceful  ser- 
mons and  earnest  appeals  was  greatly  moved,  and  rising  as  the 
preacher  was  about  to  take  his  seat,  and  warmly  embracing 
him,  exclaimed,  "  We  are  brethren,"  which  is  thought  finally 


THE  U:N^ITED  BEETHKEN  in  CHEIST      183 

to  have  suggested  the  name  for  the  new  organization  which 
presently  resulted. 

These  men  afterward  labored  much  together  in  evangelistic 
meetings  and  in  visiting  isolated  and  destitute  localities. 

Other  devout  men  joined  them  in  their  labors,  among  them 
George  Adam  Geeting,  born  in  Germany  and  reared  in  the 
Reformed  Church,  and  converted  in  one  of  Otterbein's  meet- 
ings; and  Christian  Newcomer,  a  Mennonite  already  men- 
tioned. 

In  the  meantime  Otterbein  had  become  pastor  of  an  inde- 
pendent Reformed  congregation  in  Baltimore  City,  but  continued 
his  itinerary  labors.  No  small  success  attended  these  efforts. 
Numerous  local  societies  were  formed  and  the  good  work 
spread  through  the  states  of  Maryland,  Pennsylvania  and  Vir- 
ginia. "  Great  meetings,"  as  they  were  called,  were  annually 
appointed,  when  Otterbein  would  lay  before  the  brethren  the 
importance  of  the  ministry  and  the  necessity  of  the  utmost  en- 
deavors to  save  souls. 

At  one  of  these  meetings  it  was  agreed  to  hold  a  conference 
to  consider  how  they  might  increase  their  usefulness  and  also 
conserve  the  results  of  their  labors.  The  first  Annual  Confer- 
ence was  held  in  Baltimore  in  1789.  Those  joining  with  these 
leaders  in  these  religious  efforts  now  included,  besides  German 
Reformed  and  Mennonites,  some  Lutherans,  Dunkards  and  a 
few  Methodists. 

At  an  Annual  Conference  held  in  Maryland  in  1800  they 
formed  themselves  into  a  society  to  which  they  gave  the  name 
"  United  Brethren  in  Christ."  William  Otterbein  and  Martin 
Boehm  were  chosen  to  be  superintendents  to  promote  the  work 
among  all  the  local  societies.  The  increase  of  members  and 
ministers  soon  seemed  to  require  the  adoption  of  some  general 
regulations  and  rules.  Previously,  at  the  Conference  of  1789, 
a  brief  general  confession  of  faith  was  agreed  upon,  manifestly 
the  work  of  Otterbein,  and  some  disciplinary  rules  were  also 
drawn  up.     The  first  General  Conference  was  held  at  Mount 


184     CHUEOHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Pleasant,  Pa.,  in  1815,  when  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  rules 
were  slightly  amended.  The  first  Constitution  was  adopted  in 
1 84 1.  This  Constitution  contained  an  article  forbidding  mem- 
bership in  any  secret  society,  and  one  forbidding  all  future 
change  of  the  Confession  of  Faith.  From  1849  onward  there 
was  regularly  legislation  on  the  subject  of  secret  societies,  the 
efforts  to  carry  out  which  in  practice  caused  much,  often  rather 
violent,  agitation.  Many  churches  were  disrupted.  The  num- 
bers who  opposed  this  rigid  position  rapidly  multiplied,  until 
in  1885  a  Commission  was  appointed  to  revise  both  the  Con- 
stitution and  Confession  of  Faith.  Their  work  was  carefully 
done  and  presented  to  the  membership  for  approval  or  dis- 
approval in  November,  1888,  after  nearly  three  years  of  dis- 
cussion. Both  were  adopted  by  a  majority  of  more  than  47,- 
000.  The  result  was  announced  at  the  General  Conference  in 
1889,  and  the  revised  Constitution  and  Confession  declared 
adopted. 

Thereupon  one  bishop  and  fourteen  delegates  withdrew,  and 
organized  a  General  Conference,  and  proceeded  to  legislate 
under  the  old  Constitution.  Their  following  of  the  member- 
ship numbered  probably  25,000. 

There  followed  a  period  of  litigation,  this  small  body  claim- 
ing that  they  as  adhering  to  the  old  Constitution  and  Con- 
fession were  the  church,  and  hence  the  property  was  theirs.  In 
every  state  where  suits  were  instituted  the  cases  were  carried  to 
the  Supreme  Courts,  and  in  every  case  but  one  the  decision  was 
given  to  the  '*  Liberals,"  who  had  made  the  changes. 

The  new  Constitution  still  has  a  modified  section  on  secret 
societies,  and  the  discipline  a  qualified  law,  but  the  whole 
question  has  in  practice  been  relegated  to  the  regions  of  silence. 

In  doctrine  this  Church  holds  to  a  qualified  Arminianism. 

The  polity  is  composite,  combining  presbyterial  and  congre- 
gational elements  with  a  dash  of  the  episcopal.  The  chief 
officers,  though  popularly  called  bishops,  are  not  bishops  at  all 
in  the  episcopal  sense.     Their  official  powers  are  very  limited, 


THE  UNITED  BEETHEEN  IN  CHEIST      185 

scarcely  equal  to  those  of  the  presiding  elder,  except  as  their 
position  gives  weight  to  their  acts  and  counsels.  They  are 
superintendents  or  presiding  elders  with  larger  districts.  The 
Church  recognizes  only  one  order  of  ministers,  namely,  elders. 
The  presiding  elder  who  superintends  part  of  a  conference 
district,  or  in  some  case  a  whole  conference,  is  elected  only  for 
a  year  at  a  time,  and  the  bishop,  so-called,  for  four  years. 
There  are  three  grades  of  conferences,  the  Quarterly,  the  An- 
nual, and  the  General.  The  first  has  specified  jurisdiction  over 
the  affairs  of  a  charge,  which  consists  either  of  one  church  or 
several  churches ;  the  Annual  Conference  embraces  all  the 
charges  within  a  more  extended  territory,  as  a  state  or  less ; 
the  General  Conference  is  the  only  legislative  body  and  ju- 
diciary, which  meets  quadrennially,  to  legislate  and  transact 
other  business  for  the  whole  Church.  In  all  these  bodies 
the  constituent  membership  consists  of  clerical  and  lay  repre- 
sentatives, a  very  fair  example  of  Republicanism. 

The  United  Brethren  Church  has  always  been  liberal  in  its 
sympathies  and  fellowship  with  other  Churches.  Its  com- 
munion table  is  open  to  all  true  believers  in  Christ ;  the  mode 
of  baptism  is  left  to  the  choice  of  the  applicant ;  it  has  from 
the  first  participated  in  the  broad  movements  of  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  in  the  Christian 
Endeavor  movement,  in  the  National  and  World  Sunday-School 
activities,  has  always  taken  a  pronounced  position  on  temper- 
ance, slavery,  the  white  slave  trade  and  other  reforms,  and  is 
now  negotiating  with  a  sister  denomination  of  kindred  theological 
faith  and  ecclesiastical  practice  for  organic  union. 

In  point  of  faith  she  is  evangelical  Arminian,  holding  to  the 
necessity  of  regeneration,  the  privilege  of  assurance,  single 
order  of  ministry,  itinerant  method  of  ministerial  supply  with 
the  privilege  of  being  continued  in  the  same  pulpit  an  indefinite 
number  of  years. 

The  present  membership  is  about  341,000  with  a  Sunday- 
school  constituency  of  about  445,000. 


186     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Having  begun  among  the  Germans,  the  present  shows  but 
one  German  Conference  with  about  2,000  members.  The 
value  of  churches  and  parsonages  is  now  about  ^14,500,000. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

*«  History  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,"  by  Rev.  D. 
Berger,  D.  D.  United  Brethren  Publishing  House, 
Dayton,  Ohio,  1897. 

"  History  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,"  by  Rev.  H.  G. 
Spayth,  1 85 1. 

"  History  of  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,"  by 
Rev.  John  Lawrence,  1861. 

"Life  of  Phihp  WiUiam  Otterbein,"  by  Rev.  A.  W. 
Drury,  D.  D.,  1884. 


XXV 

The  Mennonites 

THE  Mennonite  denomination  is  an  outgrowth  of  the 
Anabaptist  movement  of  the  early  sixteenth  century. 
The  Anabaptists  formed  a  radical  wing  of  the 
Zwinglian  reform  movement  in  Switzerland  which,  originating 
in  1523,  later  spread  throughout  the  Rhine  valley  in  Germany 
and  Holland. 

Among  the  principles  they  advocated  were  : 

1.  Voluntary  church  membership,  composed  of  men  and 
women  of  adult  years  who  sought  admission  into  the  Church 
because  of  a  regenerated  life.  They  therefore  opposed  infant 
baptism,  and  insisted  upon  rebaptism  upon  confession  of  faith, 
hence  the  name. 

2.  Complete  separation  of  Church  and  State. 

3.  Refusal  to  bear  arms  and  to  use  force  in  the  settling  of 
disputes. 

4.  A  rather  literal  interpretation  of  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  including  opposition  to  the  oath. 

5.  Entire  religious  toleration. 

Among  the  early  leaders  of  the  movement  in  Switzerland 
were  Conrad  Grebel,  Felix  Mantz,  and  George  Blaurock  who 
first  entered  protest  against  the  state  church  system  of  Zwingli 
in  a  public  disputation  held  at  Lucerne,  Switzerland,  in  1523. 
From  this  time  on  the  movement  spread  rapidly  throughout 
Northern  Switzerland  and  the  Upper  Rhine  regions,  principally 
among  the  artisan  classes,  but  occasionally  prominent  noble- 
men and  churchmen  joined  the  ranks.  The  changes  which 
they  advocated  were  so  far  reaching  that  active  propaganda 

187 


188     CHUECHES  OF  THE  PEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

was  suppressed  and  the  leaders  were  persecuted.  By  1535  all 
the  early  leaders  had  lost  their  lives.  It  was  at  this  time  that 
Menno  Simons,  a  native  of  Friesland,  and  a  recently  converted 
monk,  espoused  the  Anabaptist  faith,  and  by  virtue  of  his  great 
organizing  ability  so  dominated  the  movement  in  Holland  and 
Northern  Germany  as  to  leave  it  his  name  *'  Menist,"  which 
in  America  has  become  Mennonite. 

The  first  Mennonites  to  come  to  America  were  a  band  of 
thirteen  families,  including  several  German  Quakers  from 
Holland  and  Northwestern  Germany,  under  the  leadership  of 
Francis  Daniel  Pastorius,  a  Pietist.  They  founded  German- 
town,  Pa.,  in  1683,  the  first  German  settlement  in  America. 
A  few  years  later,  from  17 10  to  1720,  a  considerable  number 
of  Mennonites  and  others  from  the  German  Palatinate  settled 
along  the  Conestoga  River  in  what  is  now  Lancaster  County, 
Pa.  From  these  two  parent  settlements  a  number  of  colonies 
have  emigrated,  for  they  usually  have  settled  by  colonies,  into 
Western  Pennsylvania,  the  Shenandoah  Valley  in  Virginia, 
Ohio  and  Ontario.  From  1820  to  1850,  a  period  of  heavy 
European  immigration,  a  number  of  Mennonites  also  came  to 
America  from  Alsace-Lorraine  and  Switzerland.  These  settled 
for  the  most  part  in  Butler  and  Allen  Counties,  Ohio,  Adams 
County,  Ind.,  and  Central  Illinois.  Beginning  with  1874  and 
lasting  to  1880  occurred  the  third  and  most  extensive  of  the 
Mennonite  imm.igrations  to  America.  These  last  were  the 
Russian  Mennonites  who  in  1789  had  settled  in  Southern  Rus- 
sia from  Prussia  upon  invitation  of  Catherine  II  to  escape 
oppressive  military  service.  In  1870  the  attempt  of  the  Rus- 
sian government  to  deprive  them  of  their  military  exemptions 
caused  thousands  of  them  to  seek  an  asylum  in  America. 
Large  settlements  were  made  upon  the  raw  prairie  lands  of 
Manitoba,  Southern  Minnesota,  Dakota,  and  Eastern  Kansas 
and  Nebraska.  Although  a  number  of  small  colonies  were 
established  by  the  earlier  communities,  yet  the  localities  above 
mentioned  are  still  the  chief  centers  of  the  Mennonite  people. 


THE  MENNONITES  189 

In  matters  of  faith  and  doctrine  the  American  Mennonites 
of  to-day  have  departed  very  little  from  the  fundamental  princi- 
ples of  the  Anabaptists.  Owing,  however,  to  the  fact  that  they 
settled  in  colonies  and  to  the  prevailing  congregational  system 
of  church  government  with  no  unifying  organization,  the  main 
body  has  been  broken  up  into  numerous  smaller  branches  dif- 
fering principally  only  in  minor  practices  and  customs.  The 
entire  membership  of  all  branches  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada  is  approximately  80,000,  divided  into  the  following 
branches : 


I 
2 

3 

4 

5 
6 

7 
8 

9 

10 

II 
12 

13 


Old  Mennonites 20,000 

General  Conference 15,000 

Mennonite  Brethren  in  Christ      .     .     .  8,000 

Wisler  Mennonites 1,900 

Reformed  Mennonites i>7oo 

Brueder  Gemeinde 5,000 

Church  of  God  in  Christ 600 

Mennonites  in  Manitoba 8,000 

Amish  Mennonites 8,000 

Amish  Mennonites  (Conservative)    .     .  1,650 

Amish  (Old  Order) 4,500 

Defenceless  Mennonites 1,100 

Illinois  Conference  of  Mennonites     .     .  2,000 


The  Mennonite  denomination  is  composed  largely  of  rural 
congregations  and  partly  for  that  reason  none  of  the  branches 
have  been  aggressive  in  missionary  and  educational  work  until 
recently.  At  present,  however,  most  of  the  branches  are 
actively  engaged  in  carrying  on  all  kinds  of  aggressive  Chris- 
tian work.  Last  year  the  denomination  through  its  several 
boards  supported  eighty-five  foreign  missionaries.  It  also  sup- 
ports three  colleges,  one  of  which  includes  a  theological 
seminary. 

The  General  Conference  wing  was  the  first  to  enter  both  the 
missionary  and  educational  fields.  The  movement,  as  its  name 
indicates,  was  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  a  few  of  the  more  pro- 


190     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

gressive  spirits  in  small  isolated  congregations  to  organize  at 
least  the  more  liberal  and  progressive  of  the  congregations  for 
active  united  Christian  work.  One  of  the  first  acts  following  the 
organization  of  the  General  Conference  in  i860  was  to  form  a 
Foreign  Missionary  Society.  It  was  not  until  1880,  however, 
that  the  first  missionary  was  sent  to  the  Hopi  Indians.  Since 
then  three  stations  have  been  established  in  Central  Province, 
India,  and  one  in  China. 

The  Old  Mennonites  established  their  first  foreign  mission  in 
India  in  1898.  The  present  force  at  this  station  consists  of 
twelve  men  and  women.  A  new  station  is  to  be  opened  the 
coming  year  in  South  America. 

The  Mennonite  Brethren  in  Christ  maintain  stations  in 
Armenia,  Africa  and  China.  The  Illinois  Conference  of  Men- 
nonites, together  with  the  Defenceless  Mennonites,  maintain  a 
station  in  the  Congo  in  Africa.  All  the  above  mentioned 
branches  support  a  number  of  Home  Missions  in  the  large 
cities.  The  other  branches  of  the  Church  have  no  Mission 
Boards  of  their  own  but  the  Amish  Churches  generally  con- 
tribute to  the  work  of  the  Old  Mennonite  Board. 

In  educational  work  the  Mennonite  Church  as  a  body  has 
taken  little  aggressive  interest  until  within  recent  years.  Here 
too  the  General  Conference  took  the  lead.  The  first  institution 
of  learning  was  established  at  Wadsworth,  Ohio,  in  1868,  and 
was  known  as  ''  The  Christian  Educational  Institution  of  the 
Mennonite  Denomination."  The  experiment  lasted  only  ten 
years,  however,  when  the  doors  of  the  institution  had  to  be 
closed  for  lack  of  support.  In  1882  the  Kansas  Conference 
of  Russian  and  German  Mennonites  established  at  Halstead, 
Kan.,  *' The  Mennonite  Seminary,"  which  in  1893  was  trans- 
ferred to  Newton,  Kan.,  and  which  has  since  developed  into 
an  up-to-date  flourishing  college  with  fifteen  instructors  and  an 
attendance  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  students. 

The  Old  Mennonites  established  Goshen  College  at  Goshen, 
Ind.,  in  1904.     This  institution  is  an  outgrowth  of  a  prepara- 


THE  MENNONITES  191 

tory  school  founded  in  1895  at  Elkhart,  Ind.  The  present 
attendance  is  256  (Jan.  i,  1916)  in  the  college,  academy,  and 
normal  school  departments. 

The  latest  institution  to  be  founded  is  Bluffton  College,  at 
Bluffton,  Ohio.  This  institution  is  an  outgrowth  of  Central 
Mennonite  College,  largely  a  preparatory  school,  founded  in 
1900  by  the  Middle  District  Conference  of  the  General  Con- 
ference. In  191 3  a  group  of  fifteen  trustees  from  five  of  the 
branches  of  the  Mennonite  denomination  were  selected  to  re- 
organize this  school  into  Bluffton  College  which  was  to  provide 
for  three  departments, — College  of  Liberal  Arts,  Mennonite 
Seminary,  and  Conservatory  of  Music.  The  five  cooperating 
branches  are  the  General  Conference,  Defenceless,  Illinois 
Conference,  Mennonite  Brethren  in  Christ,  and  the  Old  Men- 
nonite. Some  of  these  conferences  heretofore  had  no  affiliation 
with  any  college  and  none  had  a  seminary.  The  organization 
of  the  board  is  a  self- perpetuating  body  chosen  from  these  five 
branches,  but  the  conferences  interested  are  granted  the  right 
by  the  constitution  to  select  the  board  members  representing 
their  branches  if  they  so  desire.  The  first  Bachelor's  degrees 
are  conferred  this  past  year  (1915)  upon  a  class  often.  The 
present  enrollment  in  the  three  departments  is  230. 

Throughout  the  West  are  located  a  number  of  preparatory 
schools  controlled  by  different  branches  of  the  denomination. 
Among  these  are  Tabor  College  at  Hillsboro,  Kan.  ;  Mennon- 
ite Collegiate  Institute,  Gretna,  Manitoba  ;  Hesston  Academy, 
Hesston,  Kan.  ;  Freeman  College,  Freeman,  S.  D. ;  and  Moun- 
tain Lake  Preparatory  School,  Mountain  Lake,  Minn. 

The  earliest  Mennonite  church  paper  was  published  as  a 
private  venture  in  1852  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Oberholtzer,  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  General  Conference  at  Milford  Square,  Pa., 
and  was  called  Religioser  Botschafter.  The  Conference  now 
maintains  at  Berne,  Ind.,  the  Mennonite  Book  Concern  which 
publishes  The  Meniionite,  Bundesbote,  Kiiiderbote  and  religious 
supplies.     The  Old  Mennonite  Church  controls  the  Mennonite 


192     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Publishing  House  at  Scottdale,  Pa.,  which  is  a  recent  outgrowth 
of  the  Mennonite  Publishing  Company  of  Elkhart,  Ind.,  a  pri- 
vate publishing  establishment  founded  by  J.  F.  Funk  in  1864, 
and  which  for  many  years  published  the  Herald  of  Truth  and 
Herald  der  Wahrheity  which  have  since  been  merged  into  the 
new  paper  issued  by  the  Mennonite  Publishing  House,  called 
the  Gospel  Herald.  This  house  also  publishes  The  Christian 
Monitory  Rundschau^  and  a  number  of  religious  books  and 
Sunday-school  material.  The  other  branches  of  the  Church 
own  no  publishing  establishments  but  several  issue  church 
papers.  The  Mennonite  Brethren  in  Christ  have  issued  since 
1877  the  Gospel  Banner y  now  published  by  the  Union  Gospel 
Publishing  Company,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  The  Bethel  Publish- 
ing Company  at  New  Carlisle,  Ohio,  a  private  concern,  pub- 
lishes Sunday-school  literature  for  this  branch.  The  Christian 
Evafigel,  published  at  Normal,  111.,  is  the  organ  of  the  Illinois 
Conference  of  Mennonites.  The  Defenceless  Mennonites  pub- 
lish a  small  paper  at  Gridley,  111.,  which  is  called  Heilsbote. 

The  greatest  need  in  the  Mennonite  denomination  is  still 
that  of  a  more  determined  cooperation  in  carrying  on  the 
various  lines  of  Christian  activity.  There  are  still  thirteen 
branches  of  the  denomination  working  through  four  Mission 
Boards,  three  Educational  Boards  and  five  Publication  Boards. 
The  doctrinal  differences  of  these  divisions  are  slight,  consisting 
for  the  most  part  of  differences  in  customs  and  minor  practices. 
The  twelve  bodies  could  at  least  easily  resolve  themselves  into 
two,  one  a  conservative  and  the  other  the  progressive  group. 

There  are  a  number  of  forces,  however,  which  are  making 
for  a  greater  working  unity  among  the  different  branches  of 
the  denomination.  A  significant  assembly  was  the  **  All- 
Mennonite "  Convention  held  at  Berne,  Ind.,  in  1913,  at 
which  were  represented  all  the  more  important  wings  of  the 
Church.  The  questions  which  were  discussed  all  dealt  with 
the  problems  common  to  the  entire  denomination.  Provision 
was  also  made  to  hold  another  convention  in  191 6.     It  is  alto- 


THE  MENNONITES  193 

gether  likely  that  these  conventions  will  greatly  promote  co- 
operative effort  along  all  lines  of  active  Christian  work. 

Bluffton  College,  as  already  stated,  is  an  attempt  at  co- 
operation among  several  branches  in  the  field  of  education. 

The  most  effective  movement,  however,  for  the  unifying  of 
all  the  forces  is  the  General  Conference  movement  which  was 
founded  in  i860  for  the  unifying  of  effort  in  the  fields  of  mis- 
sions, education,  and  publishing  interests.  The  movement 
naturally  appeals  most  to  the  more  progressive  wings  and  is 
continually  gaining  strength  and  prestige. 

The  General  Conference  has  always  stood  for  the  heartiest 
cooperation  with'  other  denominations  in  the  carrying  out  of 
practical  Christian  work  and  for  several  years  has  had  a  repre- 
sentative in  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

Krehbiel,  H.  P.,  "  History  of  the  General  Conference  of 
Mennonites  of  America. '*  Mennonite  Book  Concern, 
Berne,  Ind.,  1898. 

Funk,  John  F.,  "  The  Mennonite  Church  and  Her  Ac- 
cusers." Mennonite  Publishing  Company,  Elkhart, 
Ind.,  1878. 

Smith,  C.  Henry,  "  The  Mennonites  of  America."  Pub- 
lished by  the  Author.     Bluffton,  Ohio,  1908. 

Brons,  Anna,  *'  Ursprung,  Entwickelung  und  Schicksale  der 
Altevangelischen  Taufgesinnten  oder  Mennoniten." 
Norden,  1891. 

Cassel,  D.  K.,  "  Geschichte  der  Mennoniten."  Philadelphia, 
1890. 

Pennypacker,  Samuel  W.,  "  Historical  and  Biographical 
Sketches."     Philadelphia,  1883. 

Wedel,  C.  H.,  "  Abrisz  der  Geschichte  der  Mennoniten." 
Newton,  Kan.,  1904. 


194     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Van  der  Smissen,  H.,  "  Geschichte  der  Mennoniten." 
Mcnnonite  Book  Concern,  Berne,  Tnd. 

Horsch,  John,  "  The  Mennonites."  Mennonite  Publishing 
Company,  Elkhart,  Ind. 

Eby,  A.,  "  Die  Ansiedlung  und  Begriindung  der  Gemeind- 
schaft  in  Canada."     Milford  Square,  Pa.,  1872. 

Eby,  Benjamin,  "  Kurzegefasste  Kirchcngeschichte  der 
Taufgesinnten  oder  Mennoniten."     Elkhart,  Ind.,  1868. 

Grubb,  N.  B.,  "  The  Mennonite  Church  of  Germantown." 
Philadelphia,  1906. 

Hartzlcr,  J.  S.  and  KauiFman,  D.,  "  Mennonite  Church  His- 
tory." Mennonite  Publishing  House,  Scottdale,  Pa., 
1905. 

Miiller,  Ernst,  "  Geschichte  der  Bernischen  Taufer."  Frau- 
enfeld,  1895. 

"  Mcnno  Simons*  Complete  Works."  Translated  from 
Dutch  by  J.  F.  Funk.      Elkhart,  Ind.,  1871. 

Musser,  Daniel,  *'  The  Reformed  Mennonite  Church." 
Lancaster,  1873, 


XXVI 

The  Moravian  Church 

THE  constitution,  character  and  conduct  of  any  or- 
ganization, whether  religious  or  secular,  are  largely 
determined  by  its  history.  This  general  principle 
holds  good  of  the  Moravian  Church.  Like  most  Protestant 
Churches,  this  body  traces  its  origin  to  a  revival  of  experi- 
mental religion.  The  revival  occurred  in  an  interesting  coun- 
try, amid  stirring  events,  and  exerted  determinative  influence 
on  the  character  of  the  Church  which  proceeded  from  it. 
Bohemia  was  the  scene  of  the  noteworthy  awakening.  This 
land  is  one  of  the  smallest  of  the  world's  famous  countries. 
Lying  diamond  shaped  in  the  heart  of  Europe,  it  has  with  good 
reason  been  styled  *<  the  key  "  of  that  continent,  for  it  occupies 
an  important  position  in  Europe's  military  annals  and  religious 
history.  To  the  southeast  of  Bohemia  lies  the  much  smaller 
margravate  of  Moravia.  The  two  have  substantially  the  same 
history.     They  are  one  by  the  ties  of  fortune  and  misfortune. 

Into  the  territory  embraced  within  the  borders  of  these  two 
lands  there  came  in  the  fifth  century  the  Czechs,  a  vigorous 
and  high-minded  people,  the  most  gifted  of  the  Slavonic  tribes. 
Remnants  of  earlier  inhabitants  they  either  dispossessed  or  sub- 
dued. The  missionary  interest  of  Christianity  reached  out  to 
them  about  the  middle  of  the  ninth  century.  It  proceeded 
from  both  the  Latin  and  the  Greek  Churches,  a  little  earlier 
from  the  former  but  with  much  more  vigorous  expression  from 
the  latter.  Cyrill  and  Methodius,  sent  out  by  the  Greek 
Church,  became  the  apostles  of  the  Bohemians  and  Moravians. 

195 


196     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

They  translated  the  Scriptures  into  their  language  and  estab- 
lished many  churches.  A  marked  feature  of  their  work  was 
the  use  of  the  language  of  the  people,  not  only  in  giving  instruc- 
tion but,  also,  in  public  worship.  Thus  was  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  that  national  church  feeling  and  the  liberal  principles 
that  thenceforward  distinguished  the  Bohemians  and  Moravians. 
They  were  animated  by  a  spirit  akin  to  that  which  later  mani- 
fested itself  as  Protestantism.  Roman  pontiffs  were  not  indif- 
ferent to  these  developments.  On  the  ground  of  the  prior 
claims  of  the  Latin  Church,  they  sought  to  bring  the  Bohemian 
and  Moravian  Church  under  their  supremacy.  Eventually, 
their  zealotry  was  crowned  with  success.  The  Greek  ritual  fell 
into  disuse,  the  vernacular  was  no  longer  employed  in  public 
worship.  But  the  impression  left  in  the  minds  of  the  people  in 
favor  of  the  use  of  the  popular  language  for  religious  purposes 
was  never  effaced.  The  hearts  of  the  people  clung  to  the  cus- 
toms of  the  fathers.  They  were  ready  at  any  time  to  welcome 
a  reformer,  particularly  when  the  powerful  Roman  Church  be- 
came very  corrupt. 

In  due  time  the  reformer  appeared.  His  name  was  John 
Hus.  Under  his  guidance — as  is  well  known  because  his  life 
is  a  part  of  universal  history  as  truly  as  is  the  life  of  Luther,  of 
Calvin,  of  Zwingli,  of  Wesley  or  of  Cranmer — the  intellectual 
and  religious  movement  in  Bohemia  of  the  fourteenth  century 
was  turned  into  the  channel  of  a  national  reformation.  The 
martyrdom  of  Hus  precipitated  the  long  and  sanguinary  Hussite 
Wars.  The  brave  Bohemians  fought  for  national  independence 
and  religious  liberty  but  were  overwhelmed  because  divided 
among  themselves.  What  was  left  of  the  several  parties  at  the 
end  of  the  conflicts  was  constituted  the  National  Church  of 
Bohemia,  enjoying  certain  concessions  granted  by  the  Romish 
hierarchy,  such  as  the  Lord's  Supper  in  both  kinds  and  the  use 
of  the  vernacular  in  public  worship. 

Amid  the  confusion  and  violence  of  the  times,  there  were 
devout  men  of  God  who  did  not  take  up  arms,  nor  meddle  in 


THE  MOEAVIAN  CHUECH  197 

political  commotion,  nor  give  way  to  fanaticism.  They  fostered 
apostolic  teaching,  discipline  and  fellowship,  true  to  the  prin- 
ciples and  practices  of  the  Bohemian  reformer,  as  set  forth  in 
his  public  preaching  and  in  his  writings.  They  were  the 
genuine  followers  of  Hus  and  furnished  the  seed  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum.  Dissatisfied  with  the  semi-Romish  National  Church, 
they  longed  to  work  out  their  own  salvation.  They  were  en- 
couraged by  Peter  Chelcic,  an  earnest  layman  and  forcible 
writer,  who  protested  with  all  the  vigor  of  a  Puritan  against  the 
corruption  of  the  times,  investigated  the  great  questions  of  the 
age  with  independent  mind,  acknowledged  no  authority  but  the 
Scriptures  and  whose  system  subordinated  the  doctrinal  to  the 
practical.  This  man  exercised  formative  influence  on  their 
aspirations.  His  counsel  led  them  to  retire  from  Prague  to  the 
estate  of  Lititz,  a  hundred  miles  to  the  east,  and  begin  an  im- 
mediate reformation.  There  in  the  midst  of  the  dense  forests, 
under  the  shadow  of  the  Giant  Mountains,  they  founded  their 
settlement  in  1457.  Primarily,  the  idea  was  to  form  a  Chris- 
tian Association  rather  than  a  new  sect.  Hence,  the  name 
Brethren,  and,  subsequently,  the  Unity  of  the  Brethren  (Unitas 
Fratrum),  was  adopted.  Seclusion  did  not  result  in  the 
cloistering  of  their  interests.  They  were  continually  joined  by 
like-minded  persons.  This,  together  with  their  lofty  aim  and 
the  compulsive  force  of  persecution  on  the  part  of  the  corrupt 
National  Church,  prompted  them  to  place  their  organization  on 
a  more  solid  basis,  both  in  doctrine  and  in  practice.  They 
were  staunch  people  and  true.  As  their  organization  gathered 
strength,  they  recognized  that  they  had  something  worth  the 
keeping  and  that  they  sustained  weighty  obligations  over  against 
their  day  and  generation.  Hence,  they  considered  the 
propriety  of  separating  entirely  from  the  National  Church  and 
instituting  an  independent  ministry.  The  latter  they  secured 
by  episcopal  consecration,  in  1467,  through  the  good  offices  of 
the  Waldenses.  That  was  the  only  form  of  ministry  then 
known.     The  validity  of  it,  as  secured  by  the  Unitas  Fratrum, 


198     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAIj  COUNCIL 

the  Roman  Catholics  and  the  Calixtines,  as  the  members  of  the 
National  Church  were  known,  never  questioned. 

Four  principles  were  adopted  by  the  members  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum  as  the  basis  of  their  union,  (i)  The  Bible  is  the 
only  source  of  Christian  doctrine.  (2)  Public  worship  is  to 
be  conducted  in  accordance  with  Scripture  teaching  and  on 
the  model  of  the  Apostolic  Church.  (3)  The  Lord's  Supper 
is  to  be  received  in  faith,  to  be  doctrinally  defined  in  the  lan- 
guage of  Scripture  and  every  authoritative  human  explanation 
of  that  language  is  to  be  avoided.  (4)  Godly  Christian  life 
is  essential  as  an  evidence  of  saving  faith. 

Gradually,  the  Unitas  Fratrum  attained  to  complete  organi- 
zation. A  well  ordered  polity  was  worked  out.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  a  form  of  government  began  to  take  shape  be- 
fore the  episcopate  was  introduced.  It  tended  towards  the  con- 
ferential  form.  While  the  episcopate  in  the  Ancient  Unitas 
Fratrum  was  endowed  with  administrative  function,  the  confer- 
ential  idea  was  never  entirely  overshadowed.  Numerical  in- 
crease of  the  membership  was  rapid.  When  Luther  appeared, 
the  Unitas  Fratrum  embraced  about  four  hundred  parishes  and 
two  hundred  thousand  members.  Its  activity  was  diversified. 
Ecclesiastical  resources  were  developed  in  various  directions. 
The  native  genius  of  the  Church  continually  asserted  itself  in 
practical  evangelism.  A  thorough  educational  system  was 
developed  to  fight  ignorance,  the  fruitful  mother  of  sin  and 
error.  Colleges  and  theological  seminaries  were  established. 
A  confession  of  faith  was  elaborated.  Hymn-book,  catechism 
and  Bible  were  given  to  the  people.  The  Unitas  Fratrum  en- 
joys the  distinction  of  having  been  the  first  church  to  put  a 
hymn-book  into  the  hands  of  the  people.  The  first  edition 
bears  the  date  1501.  It,  also,  has  the  honor  of  having  been  the 
first  to  translate  the  Bible  into  the  Bohemian  vernacular  from  the 
original  tongues.  In  preparation  for  this  monumental  task  some 
of  the  most  gifted  youth  of  the  Church  were  sent  to  German  and 
Swiss  universities  in  order  to  attain  thorough  knowledge  of  the 


THE  MOEAYIAN  CHUECH  199 

Greek  and  Hebrew.  From  the  young  men  thus  trained,  eight 
scholars  were  selected  as  translators.  After  fourteen  years  of 
indefatigable  labor,  they  completed  their  work  in  1593.  Their 
version  was  called  the  Kralitz  Bible,  so  named  from  an  estate 
belonging  to  a  nobleman,  a  member  of  the  Church,  who  bore 
the  cost  of  the  undertaking.  Modern  Bohemians  declare  the 
style  of  this  version  to  be  unsurpassed.  Several  times  reprinted 
in  later  days,  the  Kralitz  Bible  has  furnished,  word  for  word, 
the  text  of  the  Bohemian  Bible  published  by  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society. 

While  building  up  their  own  organization,  the  Brethren  did 
not  neglect  to  cultivate  a  sincere  spirit  of  fellowship  with  other 
evangelical  Christians.  At  the  beginning  they  sought  for  some 
body  of  people  maintaining  true  faith  and  an  uncorrupted 
priesthood,  with  whom  they  might  make  common  cause.  But 
they  found  none.  When  Luther  became  known,  they  entered 
into  friendly  relations  with  him  and  maintained  them,  with  some 
interruptions,  to  the  end  of  his  life.  Even  more  cordial  were 
their  relations  with  some  of  the  other  reformers,  notably  Calvin 
and  Bucer.  In  their  intercourse  with  these  men  they  benefited 
in  the  matter  of  clearer  definition  of  doctrine  and  taught  them, 
in  turn,  important  lessons  in  ecclesiastical  discipline.  In  1570 
they  formed  with  the  Lutherans  and  the  Reformed  of  Poland 
what  may  be  termed  the  first  evangelical  alliance,  based  on  the 
instrument  of  agreement  known  as  the  Consensus  of  Sendomir. 

*' Man  proposes,  God  disposes."  From  the  pinnacle  of 
prosperity  the  Unitas  Fratrum  was  plunged,  in  the  inscrutable 
Providence  of  God,  into  the  depths  of  adversity.  The  disas- 
trous counter  reformation,  which  set  in  with  the  reverses  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War,  all  but  crushed  the  organization  of  the 
Unitas  Fratrum.  There  was  left  only  the  Scriptural  "  rem- 
nant." This  from  an  expression  used  by  John  Amos  Come- 
nius,  famous  educator  and  the  last  bishop  of  the  Ancient  Unitas 
Fratrum,  came  to  be  called  the  *'  Hidden  Seed."  The  tradi- 
tions of  the  Church  and  the  means  for  reconstructing  its  pecul- 


200     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

iar  organization  were  preserved  fresh  and  sound,  for  Comenius 
perpetuated  the  episcopacy  by  regular  consecration  and  em- 
bodied the  principles  of  the  polity,  the  teaching,  the  work  and 
the  discipline  of  the  Church  in  his  comprehensive,  descriptive 
work,  entitled  *' Ratio  Disciplinse."  The  *' Hidden  Seed," 
was  ready  to  germinate,  when  the  proper  time  should  come, 
and  grow  to  a  mighty  tree,  stretching  its  branches  to  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth. 

The  *'  Hidden  Seed  "  was  transplanted  to  Saxony.  There 
Herrnhut  became  the  rallying  place  for  the  descendants  of 
the  Brethren,  many  of  whom  came  from  Moravia  and  thus 
gave  the  name  Moravian  Church  to  the  modern  Unitas 
Fratrum.  The  ancient  discipline,  handed  down  by  Come- 
nius, was  introduced ;  the  venerable  episcopate  was  received 
at  the  hands  of  the  two  last  survivors  of  a  line  of  seventy 
bishops,  extending  from  1467  to  1735,  and  the  Church  of 
the  Bohemian  and  Moravian  confessors,  concealed  from 
human  eye  for  three  generations,  renewed  its  youth  like  the 
eagle's. 

As  this  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  epoch  in  the  history  of 
the  Unitas  Fratrum,  it  marked,  also,  the  inauguration  of  a 
development  different  in  many  respects  from  that  of  former 
times.  The  remnant  of  the  Church,  having  been  transferred 
to  a  foreign  land,  found  itself  in  the  midst  of  the  territory  and 
influence  of  the  Lutheran  State  Church.  Within  the  latter 
body  the  pietism  of  Spener  constituted,  at  this  time,  a  leaven 
of  righteousness  and  endeavored  to  enliven  the  dead  orthodoxy 
then  prevailing.  Count  Zinzendorf,  who  became  the  leading 
bishop  of  the  resuscitated  Unitas  Fratrum,  was  by  birth  a 
Lutheran  and  by  conviction  devoted  to  the  pietistic  movement. 
Through  him  and  through  other  noteworthy  men  who  identified 
themselves  with  the  Moravians  the  work  of  renewal  of  the 
Church  on  the  old  principles  was  invigorated  by  an  infusion  of 
new  life  from  the  evangelical  Church  of  Germany,  and  by  Zin- 
zendorf the  Brethren  were  induced  to  accept  the  favorite  pietis- 


THE  MOEAVIAN  CHUECH  201 

tic  idea  of  liltle  churches  within  the  Church — ecclesiolae  in 
ecclesia.  He  strove  to  build  up  the  venerable  Church  in  such 
a  way  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the 
State  Church.  In  carrying  out  this  principle,  he  did  not  allow 
the  Unitas  Fratrum  to  expand  as  other  churches  expanded, 
but  established  exclusive  Moravian  settlements  in  continental 
Europe,  Great  Britain  and  America,  in  which  religion  controlled 
not  only  spiritual  but  also  social  and  industrial  interests  and 
from  which  the  follies  of  the  world  were  excluded.  On  prin- 
ciple, the  Church  was  kept  small,  while  its  members  undertook 
such  extensive  missions  in  heathen  lands  that  they  were  recog- 
nized as  the  standard  bearers  in  this  work,  established  schools 
and  began  the  so-called  Diaspora  Work  or  Inner  Mission 
among  nominal  members  of  the  State  Churches  of  Europe. 
This  not  only  prevented  numerical  increase  of  the  communicant 
membership  in  Germany,  Great  Britain  and  America  but 
proved,  also,  in  the  event,  to  be  an  impracticable  ideal,  partic- 
ularly in  America.  In  this  country  the  necessity  of  assuming 
the  distinctly  denominational  forms  of  effort,  under  which 
Christianity  has  usually  developed,  became  more  speedily 
apparent  and  brought  about  a  reshaping  of  the  Church's  activ- 
ity on  the  lines  of  the  Ancient  Unitas  Fratrum. 

True  to  their  traditions,  the  Moravians  of  the  eighteenth 
century  and  subsequent  times  have  cultivated  fraternal  feeling 
towards  other  religious  bodies.  Besides  the  connections  men- 
tioned above,  they  have  enjoyed  practically  helpful  relations 
with  the  Episcopal  Church,  particularly  in  Great  Britain. 
Their  intimate  association  with  the  Wesleys  and  their  followers 
is  a  matter  of  common  knowledge.  In  connection  with  the 
Presbyterians,  they  prosecute  work  in  one  field  of  foreign  mis- 
sionary endeavor  in  Australia  which  admirably  illustrates 
missionary  comity.  One  of  their  earliest  efforts  in  Pennsylva- 
nia was  to  establish  an  alliance  of  several  Protestant  bodies  to 
meet  the  religious  needs  of  that  colony  through  convocations 
known  as  the  "  Pennsylvania  Synods." 


202    CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

A  Church  with  a  history  so  rich  in  experiences  of  divine 
favor,  in  zeal  of  unselfish  evangelists  and  teachers,  in  testimony 
of  martyrs  is  possessed  of  a  distinct  churchly  consciousness. 
To  indicate  this,  the  brief  account  of  its  origin  and  develop- 
ment has  been  an  historical  requirement.  This  clear  churchly 
consciousness  resides  in  its  noble  traditions,  its  finely  balanced 
constitution,  its  faithful  witnesses,  its  Scriptural  discipline  and 
its  beautiful  customs.  These  several  features  embody  the  idea 
of  the  Church  as  held  by  the  Moravians,  the  idea  that  has 
enabled  them  to  be  a  power  for  good  at  home  and  abroad  and 
that  has  kept  them,  though  geographically  widely  distributed, 
a  Unity  of  Brethren  in  doctrine,  practice  and  work.  As  the 
brief  historical  outline  could  but  imperfectly  set  forth  that  idea, 
a  word  concerning  each  of  its  salient  characteristics  is  in  order. 

I.  As  regards  doctrine,  the  resuscitated  Moravian  Church 
has  never  put  forth  a  formulated  creed  in  the  sense  of  present- 
ing a  single  document  bearing  the  name  of  a  confession  of 
faith ;  this  because  the  Moravian  Church  did  not  wish  to  add 
another  dissenting  creed  to  the  many  "  orthodox  "  creeds  al- 
ready in  existence  and  because  they  felt  that  any  humanly 
compiled  credal  instrument  would,  in  the  nature  of  the  case, 
be  imperfect  and  might  prove  a  hindrance  to  progress  in  the 
knowledge  of  divine  things.  At  the  same  time,  they  point  to 
several  works  which  bear  the  authority  of  their  General  Synod 
and  set  forth  the  doctrines  they  teach,  viz.,  "An  Exposition  of 
Doctrine,"  by  Bishop  Spangenberg,  *'A  Catechism  for  the 
Instruction  of  Youth,"  a  chapter  on  doctrine  in  <*The  Synodal 
Results"  and  the  ''Easter  Morning  Litany."  From  these  it 
appears  that  the  Moravian  Church  is,  as  respects  doctrinal  be- 
lief, in  substantial  agreement  with  other  evangelical  churches. 
Its  teaching,  recognizing  the  Scriptures  as  the  standard  of  faith, 
centers  in  Christ.  The  doctrinal  platform,  reared  by  the 
founders  and  elaborated  by  their  successors,  is  broad  and  the 
views  maintained  thereon  are  liberal,  according  to  the  principle 
of  the  fathers  :   *'  In  essentials  unity,  in  non-essentials  liberty. 


THE  MOEAVIAN  CHUECH  203 

in  all  things  charity."  The  creed  of  the  Moravian  Church  is 
elastic  but  not  lax.  Its  fixed  symbols  are  few,  but  they  are 
positive.  They  are  all  subordinated  to  the  truth  learned  from 
Christ,  to  whom  as  true  God  and  true  man  is  assigned  first 
place  in  doctrine. 

II.  The  polity  of  the  Church  tended  from  the  first  to  the 
conferential  form,  giving  marked  prominence  to  the  headship 
of  Christ,  as  the  source  of  all  authority,  in  all  its  proceedings. 
The  conferential  idea,  prominent  in  the  organization  of  the 
Ancient  Unitas  Fratrum,  was  perfected  in  the  resuscitated 
Church,  whose  form  of  government  was  determined  before  the 
episcopate  was  reintroduced.  Its  fundamental  principle  is 
that  all  ecclesiastical  affairs  are  collegiate  and  to  be  conducted 
by  boards.  This  principle  is  consistently  carried  out.  As  a 
body  the  members  of  the  Moravian  Church  are  governed  by 
the  General  Synod  which  meets  in  Germany.  This  supreme 
legislature  consists  of  the  Unity's  officials,  representative 
bishops  of  the  Church,  elected  delegates  of  the  independent 
provinces  and  representatives  from  the  mission  fields.  The 
General  Synod  legislates  on  all  matters  common  to  the  whole, 
the  church  constitution,  doctrine,  discipline  and  the  foreign 
missions.  Its  elected  executive  board  carries  out  its  decisions 
and  exercises  general  superintendence  in  the  intersynodal  pe- 
riods. The  independent  provinces  have  each  a  constitution  of 
their  own,  providing  for  provincial  synods  whose  resolutions 
are  binding  upon  all  church  boards,  congregations,  ministers 
and  members  of  the  respective  provinces,  providing,  also,  for 
executive  boards  elected  by  and  amenable  to  the  Provincial 
Synods,  empowered  to  carry  out  all  rules,  regulations  and  prin- 
ciples adopted  by  Synod  and  authorized  to  initiate  such  meas- 
ures as  may  be  deemed  necessary  in  the  practical  work  of 
administration.  One  of  the  American  Provinces,  covering 
large  geographical  territory,  is  divided  into  districts,  whose 
synods  deal  with  all  matters  of  purely  district  interest. 

III.  The  ministry  of  the  Moravian  Church  consists  of  the 


204     CniJRCIIES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

three  orders,  derived  from  the  Ancient  Unitas  Fratrum,  dea- 
cons, presbyters  and  bishops.  Moravians  prize  episcopal  suc- 
cession as  a  valuable  inheritance,  as  one  of  the  principal  links 
which  cement  the  former  and  tiie  present  Unity,  and  as  the 
historic  form  of  the  Church's  organic  life.  But  General  Synod 
has,  also,  laid  down  this  among  fundamental  principles.  "  The 
office  of  Bishop  imparts  in  and  by  itself  no  manner  of  claim  to 
the  control  of  the  whole  Church,  or  to  any  part  of  it ;  the  ad- 
ministration of  particular  dioceses  does  not,  therefore,  belong 
to  the  bisliops."  They  are  represented  in  General  Synod, 
have  seat  and  vote  at  the  Provincial  and  District  Synods,  but 
their  office  carries  witli  it  no  ruling  power  in  the  Church. 
Their  function  is  ordination  of  ministers.  Their  office,  more- 
over, is  defined  to  be  "  in  a  peculiar  sense  that  of  intercessors 
in  the  Church  of  God."  They  wield  spiritual  influence.  Thus 
the  episcopacy  is  cherished  as  a  valuable  part  of  Catholic 
tradition,  but  it  is  not  regarded  as  embodying  all  of  Catholic 
tradition  with  respect  to  government  and  discipline.  This 
view  has  allowed  the  Church  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  a 
conferciUial  form  of  government.  It  has  enabled  it  to  recog- 
nize the  validity  of  Presbyterian  ordination.  It  has  planted 
the  Church  on  the  comfortable  ground  of  historic  organized 
fellowship  of  Christians  and  secured  to  it  a  heritage  of  spiritual 
liberty. 

All  bishops  and  ministers  receive  special  commission  from 
Synod  or  appointment  from  the  Executive  Board  for  the  offices 
they  severally  hold.  Negotiations  for  api)()intments  or  changes 
are  conducted  by  ministers  and  boards  of  congregations  or  of 
institutions  through  the  Executive  Board  of  the  Province,  by 
whom  every  minister  is  appointed  and  every  ministerial  posi- 
tion controlled.  In  a  very  real  sense,  therefore,  bishops  and 
ministers  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  the  positions  they  occupy 
represent  the  entire  Church  and  not  merely  the  local  congre- 
gation. 

IV.     The  discipline  of  the  Church  is  built  upon  the  prin- 


THE  MOKAYIAN  CHUECH  205 

ciple  that  evidence  of  personal  piety  must  be  added  to  pro- 
fessed adhesion  to  creed  as  a  necessary  condition  to  member- 
ship. It  abhors  a  dead  faith.  Its  purpose  is  to  secure  the 
welfare  of  the  Church  as  a  community,  that  Christian  order 
and  practice  may  be  preserved  and  that  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
Church  may  not  be  disturbed,  and,  furthermore,  to  seek  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  members.  It  is  exercised  not  only  in 
reproof,  correction,  suspension  or  exclusion  of  members  but, 
also,  in  the  training  and  education  of  souls  in  the  Christian 
life.  The  standard  of  discipline  is  high.  It  is  not  always 
maintained  in  its  purity,  but  the  effort  is  constantly  made  to 
exercise  it  according  to  the  law  of  Christ  and  the  spirit  of 
Christian  fellowship. 

V.  The  ritual  of  the  Church  is  very  comprehensive.  Its 
forms  are  rich  and  varied.  They  are  well  suited  to  fulfill  their 
purpose  of  giving  all  the  people  an  opportunity  to  participate 
in  an  orderly  and  hearty  manner  in  the  services  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. The  formularies  are  adapted  to  the  regular  Sunday 
worship,  special  occasions,  and  to  the  observance  of  the  chief 
festivals  of  the  church  year,  as  well  as  to  the  memorial  days 
noteworthy  in  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  Moravians. 
They  are  very  full  of  the  person  and  of  the  offices  of  Christ. 
Their  employment  in  no  wise  involves  an  inhibition  of  ex- 
temporaneous prayer,  abundant  liberty  being  secured  in  this 
respect.  Indeed,  it  may  with  truth  be  said  that  the  Moravian 
ritual  seeks  the  golden  mean  between  order  and  uniformity,  on 
the  one  hand,  and  liberty  and  flexibility  on  the  other. 

These  are,  in  brief  outline,  the  distinctive  elements  embodied 
in  the  Moravian  idea  of  the  Church.  Presenting  individual 
traits  of  character,  they  represent  peculiar  interpretation  and 
application  of  the  old  Christian  principles  of  Christology  and 
Fraternity.  They  show  so  broad  an  appreciation  of  the 
Church  as  would  make  her  denominational  life  separate  but 
not  sectarian,  a  life  of  uniform  good  fellowship  with  her 
neighbors,   yet  distinctive   enough  to  maintain  forceful  indi- 


206     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

viduality,  a  life  that  retains  its  normal  features  but  blends  with 
the  color,  form  and  strength  of  every  living  part  of  the  temple 
"whose  builder  and  maker  is  God." 

The  attitude  of  the  Moravian  Church  towards  other  Christian 
bodies  was  expressed  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Synod  by  the 
following  letter : 

'*  The  Executive  Co7nmittee,  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America^  the  Rev.  Fraiik  Mason  North,  D.  Z>., 
Chair  many  the  Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarlatid,  D.  Z>.,  Sec- 
retary. 

**  Brethren  :  The  Synod  of  the  Moravian  Church,  convened 
at  Nazareth,  Pa.,  June  i8-July  i,  191 3,  requested  its  President 
to  make  fraternal  reply  to  the  communication  addressed  to  it 
by  the  Federal  Council,  and  to  transmit  copies  of  the  preambles 
and  resolutions  adopted  in  reply  thereto  to  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee. 

<*  As  president,  it  was  my  pleasant  duty  to  arrange  for  the 
presence  at,  and  ray  privilege  to  present  to,  the  Synod  of  the 
Moravian  Church,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Macfarland,  Secretary  of  the 
Federal  Council,  as  also  to  provide  for  the  proper  considera- 
tion of  your  communication  and  of  his  address. 

*'  In  following  my  instructions,  now,  I  discharge  a  duty  and 
enjoy  a  privilege  equally  valued  in  notifying  the  Council's 
Executive  Committee,  with  which  I  have  been  associated  since 
its  organization,  of  the  action  taken  by  the  Moravian  Church 
and  in  availing  myself  of  the  opportunity  of  assuring  you  that 
in  all  matters  falling  within  the  scope  of  the  Council  the  Mora- 
vian attitude  is  most  cordial  and  the  Moravian  spirit  most 
fraternal. 

"  That  a  larger  and  a  more  effective  cooperation  on  our 
part  has  not  been  achieved,  and  that  support  more  tangible  and 
substantial  has  not  been  evidenced,  must  be  attributed  solely  to 
the  numerical  smallness  and  the  circumscribed  sphere  of  the 
Moravian  body.     However,  notwithstanding  appearances,  our 


THE  MOEAYIAN  CHUECH  207 

denomination  desires  to  maintain  the  closest  relations  to  and  to 
display  the  keenest  sympathy  with  every  endeavor  that  may  be 
put  forth  by  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America. 

**The  action  of  the  Moravian  Synod,  which  it  was  voted  to 
convey  to  your  body,  is  contained  in  the  subjoined  quotation  : — 

"  *  Whereas,  Following  in  the  steps  of  the  Evangelical  Alli- 
ance, there  are  at  the  present  time  two  movements  tending 
towards  Christian  Unity,  the  one  being  the  proposed  World 
Conference  on  Faith  and  Order,  the  other  the  Federal  Council 
of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America, 

*'  '  Resolved,  That  this  Synod  reaffirms  its  position  on  Chris- 
tian union,  which  reads  :  *'  The  fathers  and  founders  of  the 
Brethren's  Church,  in  the  century  before  the  Protestant 
Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  in  the  interest  of  what 
they  accepted  as  the  Faith  of  Christ  and  His  apostles,  secured 
for  themselves  the  Historic  Episcopate  and  organized  as  a 
church  of  Christ.  This  Church  in  all  the  centuries  of  its  ex- 
istence and  activity,  in  all  parts  of  the  Christian  and  heathen 
world,  has  maintained  a  position  of  most  cordial  recognition 
and  of  fellowship  with  brethren  of  other  churches  of  different 
names  and  forms  of  government." 

*'  '  Whereas,  The  World  Conference  on  Faith  and  Order  is 
an  international  movement  and  approaches  the  Union  of  Chris- 
tendom from  the  standpoint  of  an  organized  Christianity, 
which  states  and  adheres  to  its  positive  beliefs  and  proceeds  in 
its  administration  along  lines  of  established  order,  and 

"  *  Whereas,  This  movement  should  receive  the  hearty  sup- 
port of  the  Moravian  Church,  as  long  as  it  is  in  accordance 
with  the  foregoing  resolution  and  in  no  wise  becomes  schis- 
matic, and 

"  '  Whereas,  The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ 
in  America  is  a  national  organization  which  approaches  the 
union  of  Christendom  from   the  standpoint  of  common   re- 


208     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

ligious  and  social  needs,  which  may  be  met  by  common  ac- 
tivities on  the  part  of  the  various  churches,  working  sepa- 
rately and  conjointly,  be  it,  therefore, 

"  *  Resolved,  That  we  express  our  interest  in  and  our  sym- 
pathy with  both  the  planned  World  Conference  on  Faith  and 
Order  and  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America,  in  so  far  as  they  recognize  their  common  purpose 
and  do  not  conflict  with  one  another  in  its  attainment. 

"  <  Resolved,  That  Synod  urges  the  Governing  Boards  of  the 
individual  churches  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  cooperate  with 
the  Federal  Council  whenever  opportunity  offers.' 

**  Believing  that  both  your  communication  and  your  repre- 
sentative have  contributed  much  to  the  strengthening  of  the 
bonds  of  fellowship  between  the  Federal  Council  and  the 
Moravian  Church,  and  praying  that  efficient  cooperation  may 
ever  increase, 

"  I  beg  to  remain,  in  the  name  and  in  behalf  of  the  Synod 
of  the  Moravian  Church  in  America, 

"Very  sincerely,  your  brother, 

(Signed.)  **  Morris  W.  Leibert.** 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  The  Moravian  Manual,"  published  by  the  authority  of  the 
Provincial  Synod  of  the  Northern  Province  of  the  Mora- 
vian Church  in  America.  Times  Publishing  Company, 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  1901. 

**  The  History  of  the  Church  known  as  the  Unitas  Fratrum  or 
the  Unity  of  the  Brethren,"  by  Edmund  de  Schweinitz, 
S.  T.  D.,  Bishop  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum  or  the  Mora- 
vian Church.  Moravian  Publication  Office,  Bethlehem, 
Pa.,  1885. 

**  A  History  of  the  Church  known  as  the  Moravian  Church 
or  the  Unitas  Fratrum  or  the  Unity  of  the  Brethren,  dur- 
ing the  Eighteenth  and  Nineteenth  Centuries,"  by  the 
Rt.  Rev.  J.  Taylor  Hamilton,  D.  D.  Times  Publishing 
Company,  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  1900. 


THE  MOEAYIAN  CHUECH  209 

**A  History  of  the  Moravian  Church,"  by  the  Rev.  J.  E. 
Hutton,  M.  A.  Second  Edition,  revised  and  enlarged. 
Moravian  Publication  Office,  London,  1909. 

*'  John  Hus,  the  Martyr  of  Bohemia,  a  Study  in  the  Dawn 
of  Protestantism,"  by  the  Rev.  W.  N.  Schwarze,  Ph.  D. 
Revell,  New  York,  191 5. 

The  last  two  are  popularly  written. 


XXVII 
The  Friends 

THE  Friends  Church  came  into  existence  in  England 
as  the  result  of  an  effort,  on  the  part  of  a  group  of 
spiritually- minded  men  aiid  women,  to  realize  in 
the  seventeenth  century  the  essential  phases  of  Christian  expe- 
rience as  known  to  the  followers  of  Christ  in  the  first  half  of 
the  first  century  of  the  existence  of  the  Christian  Church. 
The  early  Friends  had  no  intention  of  organizing  a  new  sect 
when  they  began  to  meet  together  in  groups  separate  from 
others  who  professed  the  Christian  faith.  They  began  to  meet 
together  first,  to  hear  the  preaching  of  the  men  and  women  who 
were  the  leaders  of  the  movement,  and  later  they  continued  to 
meet  together  in  the  effort  to  test  by  experience  the  truth  of  the 
doctrines  which  they  had  accepted,  and  which  were  to  them,  and 
to  the  people  of  England  generally,  in  many  respects  wholly 

new. 

The  Founder 

Among  the  leaders  of  the  movement,  one  may  properly  be 
said  to  be  the  founder  of  the  denomination,  not  only  because 
he  was  one  of  the  first  to  perceive  the  fundamental  truths 
which  had,  to  so  great  a  degree,  been  lost  sight  of,  but  also, 
and  chiefly,  because  he  possessed  unusual  keenness  of  spiritual 
insight,  unusual  perseverance  in  his  search  after  truth  and  ex- 
ceptional wisdom  in  dealing  with  all  classes  of  men ;  such  a 
man  was  George  Fox,  who  was  born  in  Leicestershire,  Eng- 
land, in  1624,  and  who  died  in  1691. 

The  Name 
The  name  "Friends  Church  "  is  one  which  has  come  to  be 
applied  only  within   recent   years;  the  groups  of  men  and 

210 


THE  FEIENDS  211 

women  who  first  met  together  to  practice  the  then  new  doc- 
trines called  themselves  merely  ''Friends,"  taking  the  name 
from  the  words  of  Christ,  "  I  have  called  you  friends,"  because 
they  wished  to  be  in  reality  friends  of  God,  and  to  be  known 
as  such.  When,  however,  it  became  apparent  that  a  some- 
what permanent,  formal  organization  would  be  necessary  in 
order  to  guarantee  the  continuance  of  favorable  opportunity  to 
carry  out  the  new  doctrines  of  worship  the  name,  **  The  Re- 
ligious Society  of  Friends,"  was  adopted,  in  this  way  record- 
ing the  original  purpose  of  the  founders,  that  a  new  sect  or 
denomination  should  not  be  created.  The  differences  in  be- 
lief and  practice,  however,  which  attracted  men  and  women 
in  the  beginning,  did  not  permit  them  to  return  to  the  older 
organizations,  and  the  religious  society  which  resulted  became, 
in  fact,  a  new  denomination  long  before  the  suggestion  was 
made  that  the  name  "Society"  should  give  place  to 
"Church."  Indeed,  the  official  and  legal  name  of  the 
Friends  Church  in  most  places  still  remains,  "  The  Religious 
Society  of  Friends." 

Beliefs 

With  respect  to  the  great  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
Church,  the  Friends  hold  views  which  are  essentially  the 
same  as  those  now  held  by  the  other  evangelical  denomina- 
tions. Of  the  differences  in  belief  which  exist,  the  greater 
number  prove,  on  final  analysis,  to  be  due  to  the  different  em- 
phasis which  Friends  place  upon  some  particular  phases  of 
Christian  truth.  The  degree  of  difference  expressed  by  this 
different  emphasis  on  particular  phases  of  truth  has  not,  how- 
ever, been  the  same  in  all  periods  of  Friends'  history.  In  the 
beginning,  some  of  the  distinguishing  views  of  Friends  were 
so  little  known  that  their  recognition  was,  in  reality,  a  redis- 
covery of  the  truth. 

Some  of  the  phases  of  the  truth  which  the  Friends  have  felt 
called  upon  to  emphasize  particularly  are : 

I,     That  the  Holy  Spirit  exercises  an  immediate  and  per- 


212     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

ceplible  influence  upon  the  consciousness  of  every  human 
being, — upon  that  of  the  sinner  to  convince  and  convict  of 
sin,  and,  as  the  Gospel  is  known,  to  point  him  to  Christ  the 
Saviour ;  and  upon  that  of  the  beUever  to  be  his  light  and 
guide,  his  comforter  and  sanctifier. 

2.  The  certainty  that  to  every  person  is  given,  as  a  part 
of  his  human  endowment,  (i)  the  ability  to  follow  righteous- 
ness, and  (2)  illumination,  to  some  degree,  as  to  what  practical 
righteousness  is. 

3.  The  possibility,  therefore  the  privilege,  of  communion 
with  God  without  the  mediation  or  assistance  of  any  human 
agency  whatsoever ;  that  is,  the  priesthood  of  every  individual 
Christian  believer. 

4.  The  infinite  value,  in  God's  sight,  of  every  human  soul ; 
therefore,  the  equality  before  Him  of  every  individual  of  what- 
ever race,  ruler  or  ruled,  male  or  female. 

Practices 

As  a  result  of  holding  these  beUefs,  together  with  the  pro- 
found conviction  that  truth  accepted  must  seek  prompt  and 
full  expression  in  action  and  deed,  many  practices  became 
prevalent  among  the  Friends,  which,  to  a  greater  or  lesser  de- 
gree, have  distinguished  them  from  other  Christian  denomi- 
nations. As  was  to  have  been  expected,  some  of  these  prac- 
tices persisted  after  the  conditions  against  which  they  were  a 
practical  protest  had  radically  changed ;  but  others  seem  to  the 
Friends  to  be  still  demanded  not  so  much  as  formerly  on  account 
of  differing  practices  among  other  Christian  bodies,  as  because 
there  seems  to  be  a  perpetual  and  general  need  for  the  exempli- 
fication, in  this  way,  of  the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity. 

Without  attempting  to  distinguish  between  those  practices, 
which  have  lost,  to  some  extent,  their  original  significance,  and 
those  which  it  is  believed  are  still  the  expression  of  truth  vitally 
important  for  our  time,  the  following  list  is  given  as  containing 
some  of  the  more  important  of  the  practices  among  Friends : 


THE  FEIENDS  213 

1.  The  practice  of  giving  to  silent  congregational  worship 
an  important  place  in  the  activities  of  the  meeting.  This 
practice  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  belief  that  each  worshipper  can 
approach  God  for  himself,  together  with  the  additional  belief 
that  when  a  body  of  Christian  believers  comes  thus  into  the 
presence  of  God,  there  is  made  possible  a  perception  of  truth 
which  cannot  come  to  one  who  is  engaged  in  worship 
alone. 

2.  The  non-use  of  the  rite  of  baptism  with  water,  and  the 
eating  of  bread  and  drinking  of  wine  as  an  act  of  worship. 

3.  The  organization  of  congregations  without  paid  pastors. 
This  was  at  first  the  universal  rule,  though  now  many  congre- 
gations of  Friends  give  regular  support  to  a  pastor.  A  tend- 
ency has  appeared  quite  recently  to  regard  the  pastor  more 
as  an  organizer  and  director  of  the  religious  forces  of  the 
community  than  as  a  leader  in  the  meeting  for  public  worship, 
though  he  may  fill  the  latter  place  also. 

4.  The  recognition  of  women  as  ministers  on  an  equal  foot- 
ing with  men. 

5.  The  use  of  plainness  of  speech  and  dress. 

6.  The  refusal,  on  conscientious  grounds,  to  take  oath  to 
make  more  sacred  or  binding  any  statement  that  may  be  made. 

7.  The  refusal,  on  conscientious  grounds,  to  bear  arms  or 
to  take  any  other  active  part  in  military  organization. 

8.  The  advocacy  of  many  great  reforms  such  as  the  aboli- 
tion of  slavery,  the  prohibition  of  the  liquor  traffic,  the  substi- 
tution of  arbitration  for  war  as  a  means  of  settling  international 
disputes,  opposition  to  capital  punishment,  and  the  improve- 
ment in  the  care  of  criminals  and  the  insane.  In  all  of  these 
great  movements  Friends  have  worked  energetically,  often 
being  among  the  first  to  recognize  the  need. 

Organization 
Monthly  Meetings.     The  unit  of  organization  for  managing 
the  business  of  the  church  is  the  Monthly  Meeting,  so  named 


214     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

because  the  meetings  for  business  meet  regularly  once  each 
month.  Frequently  a  Monthly  Meeting  includes  only  the 
members  of  a  single  congregation,  though  in  many  cases  a 
Monthly  Meeting  includes  two  or  more  congregations  located 
near  together. 

The  Monthly  Meeting  alone  has  power  (i)  to  act  upon 
requests  for  membership  from  those  who  have  not  before  had 
membership  in  any  church ;  (2)  to  pass  upon  certificates  of 
membership  issued  by  other  denominations  transferring  rights 
of  church  membership  to  the  Friends  ;  (3)  to  disown  members, 
that  is  to  expel  from  the  church ;  and  (4)  to  transact  certain 
other  parts  of  the  business  of  the  church,  as  for  example  the 
appointment  of  trustees  who  shall  hold  for  the  church  the  real 
estate  belonging  to  it  as  a  congregation. 

Many  other  phases  of  church  work  are  regularly  assumed  by 
the  Monthly  Meeting  acting  usually  through  committees,  but 
many  of  these  duties  are  also  assumed  by  other  organizations 
of  the  church  as  well. 

The  title  given  to  the  chief  officer  in  the  Monthly  Meeting 
is  Clerk.  The  same  term  is  used  for  the  chief  officer  in  the 
other  groups  organized  for  business  named  below,  that  is, 
Quarterly  Meetings,  Yearly  Meetings,  and  the  Five  Years' 
Meeting.  At  the  time  of  sessions  for  business,  the  clerk  is  the 
presiding  officer. 

Quarterly  Meetings.  Monthly  Meetings  situated  near  each 
other  are  associated  together  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  in 
regard  to  phases  of  church  work  which  may  offer  special  diffi- 
culty to  the  local  congregations  and  to  gain  the  strength  which 
comes  from  widening  the  circle  of  acquaintance  of  the  indi- 
vidual members.  The  name  Quarterly  Meeting  is  given  to 
these  associations  of  local  churches  because  the  meetings  are 
held  once  in  each  three  months.  Quarterly  Meetings  have 
certain  legislative  powers  and  power  to  pass  upon  certain  cases 
of  appeal  from  the  action  of  the  constituent  Monthly  Meetings. 
Yearly  Meetitigs.     Similar   to   the  association  of  Monthly 


THE  FEIENDS  215 

Meetings  to  form  a  Quarterly  Meeting  is  the  association  of 
Quarterly  Meetings  to  form  a  Yearly  Meeting.  The  area 
covered  by  a  Yearly  Meeting  is,  in  general,  comparable  to  the 
area  covered  by  one  of  the  states  of  the  Union,  though  in  some 
cases  more  than  one  Yearly  Meeting  exists  within  a  state  and 
in  some  cases  the  meetings  in  two  or  more  states  are  included 
in  one  Yearly  Meeting. 

The  sessions  of  a  Yearly  Meeting  usually  occupy  about  a 
week  once  a  year,  and  while  given  original  powers  in  only 
a  limited  number  of  cases,  the  influence  of  these  annual  meet- 
ings is  very  great.  A  certain  number  of  members  is  appointed 
by  each  of  the  constituent  Quarterly  Meetings  as  official  repre- 
sentatives or  delegates,  but  freedom  of  discussion  and  the  right 
to  a  voice  in  acting  upon  any  subject  are  accorded  to  any 
member  of  any  meeting  in  the  Yearly  Meeting  whether  ap- 
pointed as  a  delegate  or  not.  In  most  Yearly  Meetings  formal 
voting  to  determine  the  wish  of  those  present  is  not  practiced, 
the  consensus  of  opinion  being  inferred  by  the  clerk  from  the 
voluntary  expressions  made.  It  has  not  usually  been  the  cus- 
tom of  Friends  to  consider  a  proposition  as  passed  if  there  is 
decided,  conscientious  objection  from  a  considerable  number 
of  those  present  even  though  those  thus  objecting  constitute  a 
minority. 

The  Five  Years'  Meeting.  Thirteen  of  the  American  Yearly 
Meetings,  including  approximately  three-fourths  of  all  in  Amer- 
ica who  bear  the  name  of  Friends,  have  associated  themselves 
together  in  an  organization  with  limited  legislative  powers,  for 
the  purpose  of  unifying  and  strengthening  the  work  of  the  sepa- 
rate Yearly  Meetings.  This  larger  organization  has  its  head- 
quarters in  Richmond,  Ind,,  and  meets  once  in  five  years,  its 
sessions  occupying  in  all  about  one  week  of  time.  It  is  made 
up  of  delegates  appointed  by  each  Yearly  Meeting  in  number 
proportionate  to  membership.  A  General  Secretary  has  been 
appointed,  and  Central  Boards  for  each  of  the  important  de- 
partments of  church  work;  some  of  these  Boards  have  ap- 


216     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

pointed  general  secretaries  to  have  charge  of  the  work  of  the 
department,  and  to  cooperate  with  committees  appointed  for 
the  same  branch  of  work  in  the  constituent  Yearly  Meetings. 

The  Five  Years'  Meeting  appoints  from  its  membership  a 
committee  to  represent  Friends  in  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  and  is,  therefore,  the  organiza- 
tion through  which  Friends  in  America  cooperate  with  the 
other  evangelical  denominations. 

Different  Groups  Called  Friends 

Variations  in  belief  and  practice  among  the  Friends  themselves 
have  given  rise  to  three  different  groups,  known  as  Orthodox, 
Hicksite,  and  Wilburite  Friends,  respectively;  in  addition, 
there  are  a  few  isolated  congregations  which  do  not  consider 
themselves  as  belonging  to  any  of  the  foregoing.  The  names, 
Hicksite  and  Wilburite,  are  derived  from  the  surnames  of  the 
two  men  who  were  prominent  at  the  time  when  the  divergence 
in  belief  in  two  respective  lines  was  developing;  the  name 
Orthodox  was  given  because  the  views  held  by  this  group  were 
considered  by  those  who  used  the  name  originally  as  being 
more  nearly  in  agreement  with  the  doctrines  accepted  by  the 
other  evangelical  denominations. 

The  number  of  members  in  each  of  the  groups  is  approxi- 
mately as  follows : 

Orthodox 100,600 

Hicksite 19,600 

Wilburite 3,900 

Others 200 


Total  in  America 124,300 

The  Five  Years*  Meeting  is  made  up  entirely  of  **  Ortho- 
dox ' '  Friends,  and  includes  nine-tenths  of  those  classed  under 
that  name. 


THE  FEIENDS  217 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  Beginnings  of  Quakerism,"  by  William  C.  Braithwaite. 

"  George  Fox,"  by  Prof.  Rufus  M.  Jones. 

"  History  of  Friends  in  America,"  by  Prof.  Allen  C.  Thomas. 

"  The  Quakers  in  the  American  Colonies,"  by  Prof.  Rufus  M. 
Jones. 

"  A  Quaker  Experiment  in  Government,"  by  President  Isaac 
Sharpless. 

"  The  Rise  of  the  Quakers,"  by  T.  Edmund  Harvey. 

"The  Story  of  Quakerism,"  by  Elizabeth  B.  Emmott. 

"  The  Society  of  Friends,  Its  Faith  and  Practice,"  by  John  S. 
Rowntree. 

"Uniform  Discipline  of  the  American  Yearly  Meetings," 
1 90 1  Edition. 

Any  of  the  above  can  be  supplied  by  the  Central  Office  of  the 
Five  Years*  Meeting  of  the  Friends  in  America,  Rich- 
mond, Ind. 


XXVIII 
The  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church 

THE  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  claims  to  be  a  part 
of  the  Catholic  Apostolic  Church  founded  by  Christ. 
Its  specific  name  was  given  to  it  in  the  German  Ref- 
ormation, inaugurated  by  Martin  Luther  when  he  nailed  his 
Ninety-five  Theses  to  the  church  door  in  Wittenberg,  October 

3^>  1517- 

The  American  branch  had  its  origin  in  1632,  when  Luther- 
ans came  from  Holland  as  a  part  of  the  Dutch  colony  which 
settled  on  Manhattan  Island,  now  occupied  by  the  City  of 
New  York.  The  second  arrival  of  Lutherans  in  America  was 
that  of  the  Swedes  in  1638,  fifty  years  before  William  Penn's 
famous  treaty  with  the  Indians.  They  made  their  first  settle- 
ment where  Wilmington,  Del.,  now  stands,  and  built  their 
blockhouse,  in  which  divine  service  was  held  and  which  was 
named  Fort  Christian.  They  purchased  from  the  Indians  a 
tract  of  land  extending  from  the  mouth  of  Delaware  Bay  north- 
ward to  the  Falls  of  Trenton  and  westward  to  the  Susquehanna 
near  York  Haven,  embracing  the  State  of  Delaware  and  the 
southeastern  corner  of  Pennsylvania.  The  first  church  in  the 
latter  state  was  built  at  Tinicum  in  Delaware  County,  in  1646. 
For  various  reasons  Swedish  immigration  ceased  for  two  hun- 
dred years.  Since  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  how- 
ever, several  million  Scandinavians  have  arrived,  and  consti- 
tute a  large  part  of  the  population  of  the  northwestern  states, 
Illinois,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  and  especially  Minnesota  and 
North  Dakota. 

The  history  of  the  German  branch  of  the  Lutheran  Church 

218 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHEEAN  CHUECH  219 

begins  with  the  arrival  of  the  Palatinates  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1680.  The  first  church  was  built  by  them  at  Falkner's  Swamp 
in  Montgomery  County,  in  1700.  During  the  first  half  of  the 
eighteenth  century  over  60,000  German  immigrants  settled  in 
Pennsylvania. 

These  people,  however,  were  without  any  adequate  spiritual 
care  or  supervision.  In  1735  there  were  only  eight  ordained 
Lutheran  ministers  in  the  American  colonies,  and  of  these  only 
one  was  in  Pennsylvania.  It  was  not  until  the  arrival  of 
Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg,  a  young  pastor  from  Halle,  in 
1742,  that  the  Lutherans  in  America  were  properly  organized. 
He  assembled  the  first  Synod,  the  Ministerium  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  Philadelphia  on  August  26,  1748.  It  consisted  of 
six  ministers  and  twenty-four  lay  delegates. 

From  these  feeble  beginnings  the  Lutheran  Church  has  grown 
to  be  a  mighty  host,  numbering  2,437,706  communicants, 
having  over  9,688  ministers  and  15,112  congregations.  This 
vast  number  represents  a  constituency  of  not  less  than  ten 
millions,  or  one  out  of  every  ten  of  the  population  of  the 
United  States.  Three-fourths  of  the  members  belong  to 
four  general  bodies — The  General  Synod,  The  General  Coun- 
cil, The  United  Synod,  South,  and  The  Synodical  Conference. 
There  is  no  one  general  organization  comprising  representa- 
tives of  all  these  bodies  and  of  the  independent  synods. 

The  Lutheran  Church  in  America  is  well  equipped  with 
various  educational  and  benevolent  institutions.  It  supports 
twenty-nine  theological  seminaries,  forty-one  colleges,  fifty-five 
academies,  ten  young  ladies'  seminaries,  nine  deaconess  mother 
houses,  fourteen  immigrant  missions,  fifty-seven  orphans'  homes, 
forty-three  hospitals,  seventeen  hospices,  forty-four  homes  for 
the  aged,  and  eleven  home  finding  societies.  It  issues  two 
hundred  and  seventy  separate  periodical  publications,  of  which 
twenty-eight  are  weekly.  Extensive  mission  work  is  carried  on 
in  the  home  as  well  as  in  the  foreign  field. 

The  form  of  Lutheran  church  government  is  essentially  re- 


220     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

publican.  The  congregation  is  the  unit  and  sends  its  pastor  and 
lay  delegate  as  representatives  to  the  Synod  which  meets  an- 
nually. The  district  synods  elect  representatives  to  the  respect- 
ive general  bodies.  The  source  of  authority  is  the  individual 
congregation,  which  however  delegates  very  important  functions 
to  the  Synod,  and  binds  itself  to  certain  general  regulations 
made  for  the  common  good.  Gradually  the  district  synods  and 
the  general  bodies  have  acquired  greater  power  through  the 
centralizing  process  which  has  grown  but  of  the  administration 
of  the  missionary  work  and  the  publication  interests.  In 
Scandinavia  the  episcopal  form  of  government  obtains,  but  the 
Bishop  is  simply  Primus  inter  pares.  In  the  Lutheran  Church 
everywhere  the  ministry  is  an  office  and  not  an  order.  Its 
polity,  therefore,  is  incidental  and  not  fundamental.  Any  form 
of  government  which  recognizes  the  laity  and  the  parity  of  the 
ministers,  and  proves  itself  efficient,  is  admissible.  There  are 
no  present  indications  of  a  desire  to  depart  from  the  existing 
form,  which  is  believed  to  be  in  entire  harmony  with  New  Tes- 
tament teachings,  as  well  as  with  the  genius  of  our  American 
institutions. 

The  Lutheran  Church  believes  that  the  deepest  devotional 
spirit  is  fostered  by  dignity  and  order  in  public  worship.  It 
has  always  been  a  liturgical  church,  but  not  in  a  rigid  way. 
It  provides  forms  of  service  and  worship  to  be  used  by  the  con- 
gregation and  also  by  the  pastor  in  the  performance  of  minis- 
terial acts.  Three  of  the  general  bodies  some  years  ago 
adopted  a  Common  Service,  which  is  based  on  a  consensus  of 
the  pure  Lutheran  liturgies  of  the  sixteenth  century.  It  is  a 
beautiful  and  appropriate  service,  which  may  be  adapted  to  the 
needs  of  any  congregation. 

From  a  doctrinal  standpoint  the  Lutheran  Church  in  America 
is  very  conservative.  The  ''new  theology,"  ''reconstruction 
in  theology,"  "radical  criticism"  and  "revision  of  creeds'* 
have  made  but  a  feeble  appeal.  Indeed,  alarmed  by  departures 
from  the  faith  in  other  denominations  affected  by  the  above  in- 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHEEAN  CHUECH   221 

fluences,  it  has  become  increasingly  conservative.  It  holds 
firmly  to  the  Bible  as  the  Word  of  God,  believing  that  living 
faith  can  be  maintained  only  by  adhering  to  the  plain  teach- 
ings of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

The  theology  of  the  Lutheran  Church  is  essentially  a  Chris- 
tology.  Christ  is  the  center.  Through  Him  God  has  ap- 
proached us  and  through  Him  we  approach  God.  God  is  not 
simply  Supreme  Will  to  the  Lutheran,  but  Infinite  Loving  Will. 
Redemption  rather  than  Sovereignty  is  the  key-note  of  his  be- 
lief. He  is  very  jealous  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Person  of  Christ, 
who  to  His  eternal  Divine  Person  joined  a  human  nature,  form- 
ing an  indissoluble  divine- human  personality. 

The  Lutheran  Church  believes  in  salvation  by  grace  through 
faith,  and  not  by  works.  Human  nature  is  absolutely  impotent, 
through  the  corruption  of  original  sin,  to  save  itself,  or  to  con- 
tribute anything  to  its  salvation.  The  Lutheran  Church, 
therefore,  rejects  every  form  of  Pelagianism,  whether  it  lurks  in 
some  perverted  form  of  Protestantism,  or  in  Romanism.  On 
the  other  hand  it  denies  the  teaching  of  Calvinism  as  far  as  it 
pertains  to  the  limitation  of  salvation  to  the  *' elect  "  who  have 
been  foreordained  to  salvation  by  an  inscrutable  decree,  regard- 
less of  foreknowledge  of  their  character  and  faith. 

The  Lutheran  Church,  while  absolutely  denying  any  virtue 
to  the  sacraments  as  opera  operata,  holds  them  to  be  means 
of  grace  coordinate  with  the  Word  of  God,  and  not  merely 
signs  or  symbols.  It  believes  that  the  infant  children  of  be- 
lievers should  be  baptized,  thus  making  them  partakers  of  the 
covenant  of  grace.  It  also  believes  that  the  divine-human 
Christ  is  really  present  in  a  supernatural  and  sacramental  way 
in  the  Lord's  Supper  and  is  therein  received  by  the  faith  of  the 
communicant. 

The  Confessions  of  the  Lutheran  Church  are  embraced  in 
the  Book  of  Concord.  The  first  part  contains  the  ancient 
Ecumenical  symbols,  viz..  The  Apostles*  Creed,  The  Nicene 
Creed  and  the  Athanasian  Creed.     The  second  part  contains 


222     CHUEOHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  Augsburg  Confession,  The  Apology,  The  Large  and  the 
Small  Catechisms  of  Luther,  The  Schmalkald  Articles,  and  the 
Form  of  Concord.  The  Augsburg  Confession,  presented  at 
the  Diet  of  Augsburg  in  1530,  is  the  oldest  and  the  most 
generic  of  all  modern  confessions,  and  the  source  of  some  of 
them,  especially  of  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of 
England.  Luther's  Small  Catechism  has  become  a  classic, 
and  is  probably  the  most  widely  used  manual  of  religious  in- 
struction extant.  The  Form  of  Concord,  published  in  1580, 
clarifies  the  Lutheran  position  in  simple  and  irenic  language. 

The  Confessional  attitude  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  a 
moderate  and  widely  accepted  form  has  been  expressed  recently 
by  the  General  Synod  in  its  revised  Doctrinal  Basis,  as 
follows  : 

"With  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  the  Fathers, 
the  General  Synod  receives  and  holds  the  Canonical  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  the  word  of  God  and  the 
only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  of  practice ;  and  it  receives  and 
holds  the  Unaltered  Augsburg  Confession  as  a  correct  exhibi- 
tion of  the  faith  and  doctrine  of  our  Church  as  founded  upon 
the  word." 

The  same  body  also  incorporated  into  its  Constitution  a 
recognition  of  the  other  symbols  of  the  Book  of  Concord  *'  as 
expositions  of  Lutheran  Doctrine  of  great  historical  and  inter- 
pretative value,  and  especially  commends  the  Small  Catechism 
as  a  book  of  instruction." 

The  attitude  of  the  Lutheran  Church  towards  other  denomina- 
tions needs  some  explanation.  The  oldest  of  the  general  bodies, 
the  General  Synod,  founded  in  1826,  acting  on  the  principle 
of  evangelical  comity,  has  always  maintained  friendly  relations 
with  other  religious  bodies,  especially  with  such  as  most  nearly 
approach  it  in  practice  and  polity,  and  exchanges  fraternal 
delegates  with  several  of  them.  It  has  also  been  allied  with 
interdenominational  movements  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel, 
the  better  observance  of  the  Lord's  Day,  the  suppression  of 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHEEAN  CHUECH   223 

vice,  and  the  improvement  of  public  morals.  It  is  represented 
in  such  bodies  as  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ 
in  America. 

The  attitude  of  the  General  Synod  is  quite  exceptional  in  this 
respect.  None  of  the  other  general  bodies  have  followed  its 
example.  All  true  Lutherans  freely  acknowledge  that  there  are 
many  Christians  outside  of  its  own  fold.  The  name  Lutheran 
is  merely  an  incident ;  the  important  matter  is  the  truth.  Any 
one  who  receives  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  is  a  Christian. 
But  this  truth  must  be  carefully  guarded,  and  to  hold  fellow- 
ship with  denominations  whose  creeds  come  into  conflict  with 
the  Lutheran  confessions  seems  to  these  Lutherans  to  be  a 
denial  of  the  faith.  Hence  they  are  exceedingly  conservative, 
and  have  adopted  stringent  rules,  such  as  ''Lutheran  pulpits 
for  Lutheran  ministers,  and  Lutheran  altars  for  Lutheran  com- 
municants." Moreover,  the  non -English  Lutheran  bodies, 
whose  members  do  not  come  into  close  personal  contact  with 
the  people  in  purely  English  churches,  naturally  are  unconscious 
of  any  pressing  need  of  unity  with  non-Lutheran  bodies.  They 
have  little  in  common  with  them  in  language,  usages  or  tradi- 
tions. 

Their  respective  tasks  seem  to  be  diverse  also.  The 
Lutherans  have  a  great  work  in  caring  for  their  own  kindred 
who  come  here  from  other  lands.  Their  peculiar  calling  is  to 
gather  in  those  of  their  own  household  of  faith;  and  when 
these  are  diverted  to  other  folds  alienation  rather  than  unity 
ensues.  Lutherans  are  not  given  to  proselyting,  and  con- 
sequently detest  it  exceedingly. 

The  theological  positions  of  other  denominations,  as  revealed 
in  trials  for  heresy  and  in  the  action  of  bodies  which  license 
young  men  for  the  ministry,  in  spite  of  their  rejection  of 
doctrines  which  seem  to  Lutherans  to  be  fundamental,  make  the 
latter  somewhat  wary.  The  denial  of  the  validity  of  infant 
baptism,  adherence  to  the  Jewish  Sabbath  as  the  Christian  day 
of  rest  and  worship,  the  rejection  or  a  low  view  of  the  sacra- 


224     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

ments,  the  rationalistic  view  of  the  Bible  and  other  errors 
cannot  be  ignored  by  Lutherans  in  the  interest  of  a  mechanical 
cooperation.  They  believe  that  intimate  fellowship  is  impos- 
sible amid  such  serious  diversity  of  opinion. 

Moreover,  many  of  the  methods  and  practices  of  other 
denominations  are  so  entirely  at  variance  with  the  usages  of 
the  Lutheran  Church  that  her  people  cannot  cordially  join  in 
"general  movements"  of  a  so-called  evangelistic  or  social 
character. 

There  is  also  great  hesitancy  to  invade  in  any  organic 
capacity  the  domain  of  the  State.  While  the  Lutheran  is  a 
loyal  citizen,  believing  in  all  that  stands  for  public  welfare,  he 
holds  that  the  function  of  the  Church  is  spiritual  rather  than 
political.  It  is  its  business  to  build  men  up  in  nobility  of 
character,  and  thus  fit  them  for  holy  living  and  right  action  in 
every  sphere  of  life. 

All  these  things  conspire  against  present  enthusiasm  in  the 
Lutheran  Church  for  that  larger  ideal  unity  which  will  some 
day  prevail.  It  wishes  to  avoid  the  inevitable  conflict  which 
a  forced  cooperation  would  precipitate,  preferring  to  maintain 
a  true  unity  of  spirit  with  all  lovers  of  Christ  in  all  denomina- 
tions. 

For  the  present,  the  obvious  course  to  be  pursued  by  the 
different  branches  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  America  is  to 
seek  a  closer  alliance  with  one  another.  An  immediate  organic 
union  is  not  in  sight,  but  a  federation  between  several  of  the 
bodies  is  not  an  impossibility.  Until  the  latter  is  attained  the 
prospects  of  sympathetic  cooperation  with  non-Lutherans  are 
not  encouraging. 

There  are  many  hopeful  signs  of  a  better  understanding 
between  the  several  Lutheran  bodies.  Two  of  the  Norwegian 
Synods  have  recently  united.  Three  of  the  general  bodies  are 
now  using  a  *' Common  Service"  and  are  about  to  publish  a 
Common  Hymnal.  General  conferences  now  and  then  bring 
together  in  an  informal  manner  representatives  of  six  or  eight 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHEEAN  CHUECH  225 

bodies.      The   foreign   missionaries,   especially   in  India,   are 
already  in  a  practical  state  of  federation. 

The  above  statements  are  intended  to  be  explanatory  of 
the  general  attitude  of  the  vast  majority  of  Lutherans  in 
America.  The  General  Synod,  which  embraces  only  one- 
seventh  of  the  Lutheran  communicants,  is  a  constituent  of  the 
Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  and 
is  represented  on  its  Executive  Committee  and  its  several 
Commissions.  The  General  Synod  believes  that  it  in  no  sense 
compromises  itself  nor  surrenders  its  distinctive  character  as  a 
Lutheran  body  by  cooperating  with  the  Federal  Council  which 
embraces  thirty  denominations,  having  a  membership  of  seven- 
teen million  members.  As  long  as  the  Council  shall  adhere  to 
its  declared  purpose  and  shall  avoid  what  might  be  termed 
particularistic  and  sectarian,  it  will  commend  itself  not  only  to 
the  General  Synod  but  to  thousands  of  individuals  in  other 
Lutheran  Synods,  and  will  continue  to  be  a  mighty  force  for 
righteousness,  not  only  in  the  nation  but  also  in  the  whole 
world. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"A  History  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  in  the 
United  States,"  by  Henry  Eyster  Jacobs.  Published 
by  the  Christian  Literature  Company,  New  York,  in 
the  American  Church  History  Scries. 

«*  The  Lutherans  in  America,"  by  Dr.  E.  J.  Wolf,  Published 
by  J.  A.  Hill  &  Co.,  New  York. 


XXIX 

The  German  Evangelical  Synod 

THE  German  Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America 
stands  in  the  United  States  for  the  fundamental  pos- 
itive and  progressive  principles  of  German  Evangel- 
ical Christianity  established  in  1817  by  the  union  of  the  Re- 
formed and  the  Lutheran  elements  in  Prussia.  In  the  next 
quarter  century  some  of  the  ministers  and  members  of  that 
body  came  to  the  United  States,  and  in  1840  at  a  settlement 
near  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  the  first  organization  was  formed.  It 
was  called  the  German  EvangeUcal  Church  Association  of  the 
West.  This  body  expanded,  and  changed  its  name  to  Synod 
of  the  West  in  1866.  In  1877  the  body  known  as  the  German 
Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America  came  into  being.  It 
works  particularly  among  the  German  people,  although  English 
as  well  as  German  is  used  in  many  churches  and  especially  in 
church  literature. 

The  Synod  has  nineteen  districts  in  which  annual  assemblies 
or  conferences  are  held.  The  General  Conference,  consisting  of 
ministerial  and  lay  delegates  from  the  district  synods,  is  quad- 
rennial. For  information  as  to  its  officers,  its  benevolent  and 
educational  institutions,  and  similar  matters,  the  reader  may 
consult  the  Federal  Council  Year  Book  of  19 15.  The  statistics 
for  191 5  will  be  found  in  the  table  of  the  constituent  bodies  of 
the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  in 
this  volume. 

Next  to  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
Him  crucified  the  ideal  of  Christian  unity  is  the  chief  aim  of 
the  organization  and  activity  of  the  German  Evangelical  Synod 
of  North  America,  and  the  name  " Evangelical' '  was  chosen 

226 


THE  GEEMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYNOD  227 

with  this  purpose  in  view.  Its  derivation  goes  back  to  the  very 
origin  of  Christianity  and  in  common  with  all  true  Christian 
Churches,  the  Evangelical  Church  preaches  the  cross  of  Christ 
as  the  sole  and  sufficient  means  of  taking  away  the  sins  of  the 
world.  The  roots  of  Evangelical  theology  lie  deeper  than  the 
doctrinal  discussions  of  the  sixteenth  century,  or  the  petty  dis- 
putes and  wrangles  of  the  seventeenth ;  they  are  nourished  only 
by  the  pure  water  of  life  that  flows  from  the  foot  of  Calvary. 
Like  Paul,  the  Evangelical  Church  is  determined  not  to  know 
anything  save  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified  as  the  central 
truth  of  the  ages.  In  view  of  the  infinite  vastness  of  the  theme 
and  the  tragic  urgency  of  mankind's  need  she  aims  to  waste 
no  time  on  non-essential  differences  of  doctrine  or  organization, 
but  confines  herself  to  the  message  of  salvation  through  faith 
in  the  grace  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  as  meeting  every  religious 
and  social  need  of  every  individual  and  every  nation.  The 
position  of  the  Evangelical  Church  is:  One  great  message  for 
humanity's  one  great  need.     What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ? 

As  long  as  men  differ  as  to  race,  language,  temperament, 
and  individuality,  different  denominations  will  always  be  needed 
to  express  the  different  aspects  of  Christianity.  To  claim  the 
word  Evangelical  for  one  of  them  does  not  imply  that  the 
others  are  less  or  not  at  all  evangelical ;  every  Church  that 
proclaims  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God  and  the 
Saviour  and  Lord  of  men  is  essentially  evangelical.  The  right 
to  that  appellation,  however,  is  automatically  forfeited  to  the 
extent  that  a  narrower  point  of  view  is  emphasized  at  the 
expense  of  the  broader,  the  sectarian  at  the  expense  of  the 
catholic.  And  where  so  many  voices  represent  the  things  that 
have  separated,  the  message  that  goes  beyond  sectarian  differ- 
ences and  emphasizes  the  inherent  unity  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
surely  has  a  right  to  be  heard.  The  larger  the  cross  of  Christ 
looms  up  the  more  the  differences  of  doctrine  fade  into  insignif- 
icance ;  as  the  barriers  and  divisions  that  have  so  long  separated 
the  children  of  God  disappear,  there  becomes  apparent  the  one 


228     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

flock  and  the  one  Shepherd,  and  the  way  is  opened  up  for  the 
realization  of  the  Master's  glorious  ideal,  <<  That  they  may  all 
be  one." 

The  German  Evangelical  Synod  bases  its  plea  for  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bonds  of  peace  among  the  Churches  of  the 
German  Reformation  on  Biblical  and  historical  arguments,  both 
Df  which  seem  to  present  the  idea  of  Christian  unity  as  natural 
and  inevitable. 

The  Biblical  Basis 

The  idea  of  the  unity  of  the  children  of  God  is  fundamental 
to  divine  revelation.  The  Old  Testament  knows  only  one 
theocratic  congregation,  regarding  the  later  division  into  two 
kingdoms  as  apostasy  and  corruption,  and  the  New  Testament 
knows  only  one  Christian  Church.  No  saying  of  Christ  or  His 
apostles  can  be  made  to  sanction,  much  less  to  authorize,  more 
than  one  Church.  The  Master  knows  only  of  one  flock  and 
one  Shepherd  (John  x.  i6),  and  it  is  His  purpose  to  gather  to- 
gether into  one  the  children  of  God  that  are  scattered  abroad 
(John  xi.  52).  His  last  prayer  for  His  disciples  includes  the 
petition  that  not  only  the  disciples  themselves  but  all  that  be- 
lieve on  Him  through  their  word  may  all  be  one  (John  xvii.  20). 
And  Paul  also,  though  he  came  into  contact  with  many  people 
of  different  races  and  nations  and  with  many  radical  difl'erences 
of  opinion,  nevertheless  knows  only^«<?  holy  temple  in  the  Lord 
(Eph.  ii.  21,  22),  one  holy  body  of  Christ  (i  Cor.  xii.  27),  and 
only  one  head  (Eph.  i.  22),  etc. 

This  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace  (Eph.  iv.  3)  does 
not  require  uniformity.  Jesus  Christ  did  not  become  the 
founder  of  His  Church  by  laying  down  a  complete  and  invio- 
lable set  of  laws  for  His  followers,  but  by  obtaining  an  eternal 
redemption  and  giving  the  Holy  Spirit  to  His  disciples. 
Neither  did  the  apostles  establish  a  binding  form  for  the  order  of 
worship  or  the  organization  of  congregations,  and  diverse 
usages  prevailed  among  Jewish  and  Gentile  Christians. 

The  apostles,  while  waging  an  energetic  warfare  against  all 


THE  GEEMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYNOD      22& 

teachings  which  attacked  the  fundamentals  of  Christianity,  did 
not  think  of  denying  coaimunion  where  these  fundamentals 
were  not  questioned.  Those  who  feared  defilement  from  meat 
that  had  been  sacrificed  to  idols  (i  Cor.  viii.  47),  and  those 
who  regarded  one  day  above  another  (Rom.  xiv.  6),  were  not 
excommunicated,  although  the  decision  of  the  Jerusalem 
Council  might  have  supported  such  a  course  in  the  former  case. 
In  the  face  of  these  differences  of  opinion  Paul  seeks  only  to 
strengthen  the  consciousness  of  their  unity  in  Christ  and  dep- 
recates the  self-conceit  which  would  condemn  others.  Greater 
even  than  these  differences  are  those  in  the  teachings  of  the 
apostles  themselves.  The  writer  of  Hebrews  regards  the 
atonement  through  Christ  in  the  light  of  a  priestly  function  ;  to 
Paul  it  is  a  deeply  personal  experience.  According  to 
Hebrews  xi.  faith  has  the  more  general  character  of  confidence 
and  trust,  rather  than  the  justifying  character  which  it  has 
for  Paul.  The  difference  between  Paul's  and  James'  idea  of 
faith  is  even  more  marked,  as  a  comparison  of  James  ii.  14-26 
with  Romans  iii.  20,  21,  28,  etc.,  clearly  shows,  and  the  two 
views  can  be  reconciled  only  by  reducing  them  to  the  common 
denominator  of  consecrated  personal  experience.  Then  there 
is  the  difference  between  Paul  and  Peter  (Gal.  ii.  11),  with  the 
deep-seated  differences  between  Jewish  and  Gentile  Christians 
on  many  important  subjects.  These  differences  were  not  re- 
garded as  fundamental  but  rather  as  necessary  accompani- 
ments of  the  development  of  Christian  doctrine  among  peoples 
of  differing  individuality  and  temperament. 

In  all  these  cases  and  in  others  which  might  be  quoted  the 
apostles  evidently  regard  that  which  Jewish  and  Gentile  Chris- 
tians have  in  common  as  so  much  greater  and  stronger  than 
even  their  most  pronounced  differences,  that  they  do  not  for  a 
moment  lose  sight  of  the  inherent  unity  of  both.  The  one  hope 
of  their  calling,  one  Lord,  one  baptism,  one  faith,  one  God 
and  Father,  is  something  so  vast  and  comprehensive  that  the 
smaller  differences  are  hardly  discernible. 


230     CHUECHE8  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

Uniformity  of  doctrine  is  thinkable  only  upon  the  supposi- 
tion that  it  is  possible  for  one  person,  body  or  organization  to 
possess  absolute  truth.  We  must  regard  this  supposition  as 
false,  because  if  it  is  true  that  the  imagination  of  a  man's  heart 
is  evil  from  his  youth  up,  then  his  perception  and  understand- 
ing must  be  in  the  bondage  of  sin  to  the  same  extent  as  his 
emotions  and  his  will  power.  Only  a  superficial  conception  of 
human  sinfulness  would  dare  lay  claim  to  an  absolutely  pure 
doctrine ;  only  a  most  primitive  psychology  can  assume  that 
while  the  will  and  the  emotions  must  battle  with  sinful  desires, 
the  intellect  remains  untouched  by  any  wrong  ideas  or  belief. 
No  one  has  the  right  to  assume  that  he  alone  is  in  the  possession 
of  truth  and  that  all  who  believe  otherwise  are  in  error.  Whether 
our  earthly  horizon  is  bounded  by  the  limitless  ocean,  by 
majestic  mountain  ranges,  or  by  the  seemingly  endless  plain, 
the  country  in  which  we  live  nevertheless  remains  the  same  and 
it  is  07ie  country ;  whether  we  dwell  beneath  the  Southern 
Cross  or  under  the  Ursa  Major,  the  sky  we  behold  is  still  the 
same  and  it  is  one  sky.  Similarly,  whether  one  inclines  to  ex- 
treme Lutheranism  or  extreme  Calvinism ;  whether  one  holds 
to  the  Congregational  or  Presbyterian  form  of  organization,  or 
recognizes  the  historic  episcopate,  the  truth  at  the  bottom  of  all 
is  essentially  the  same,  and  it  is  one  Truth.  The  word  of  God 
contains  absolutely  pure  truth,  but  only  so  much  of  the  whole 
body  of  Truth  as  is  needed  for  the  purposes  of  human  happi- 
ness and  salvation.  The  Church  that  confines  its  teachings 
only  to  the  plain  truth  of  the  Scriptures  will  be  most  free  from 
the  danger  of  mixing  error  with  truth. 

The  Historical  Argument 
The  Reformers  did  not  claim  to  have  absolutely  pure  doc- 
trine.  If  they  had  they  would  have  practically  set  up  the 
claim  of  having  received  a  new  revelation,  an  imputation  which 
all  of  them  would  have  immediately  rejected  as  blasphemous. 
They  insisted  on  the  truth  of  the  fundamental  teachings  of 


THE  GEEMAN  EVAI^GELICAL  SYNOD      231 

Christianity  as  against  the  errors  of  Rome,  but  for  themselves 
they  sat  humbly  at  the  feet  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  Jesus 
Christ  Himself  being  the  corner  stone.  Their  own  teaching 
cannot  and  does  not  deny  the  necessity  of  constant  purification 
and  development,  which  is  done  by  the  Word  itself,  out  of 
whose  fullness  all  believers  can  constantly  take  new  treasures  of 
knowledge  and  power.  If  there  is  to  be  purification  and 
development,  there  must  be  differences  and  changes  on  some 
points  of  teaching.  A  Church  that  should  undertake  to  finally 
and  absolutely  settle  every  disputed  point  would  perish  from 
the  acute  disease  of  a  theology  that  smothers  every  possibility  of 
growth,  and  her  death  by  petrifaction  would  be  but  the  just  punish- 
ment for  such  conceited  misunderstanding  of  human  limitations. 
The  deep-seated  longing  for  unity  among  the  Lutheran  and 
Reformed  divisions  of  the  German  Reformation  was  evident 
from  the  very  beginning.  Twelve  years  after  the  Ninety-five 
Theses  had  been  nailed  to  the  door  of  the  castle-church  at 
Wittenberg  a  conference  between  the  foremost  Protestant  lead- 
ers was  held  at  Marburg.  Another  more  successful  conference 
was  held  in  1536  at  Wittenberg  itself,  followed  by  public 
services  at  which  both  Luther  and  Bucer  preached,  the  Re- 
formed theologians  communing  with  the  congregation.  After 
1550  the  Moravians,  Reformed,  and  Lutherans  are  found 
uniting  in  Poland  and  the  articles  there  drawn  up  and  signed 
show  the  true  Evangelical  spirit.  In  France  a  conference  was 
held  as  early  as  1614  for  the  express  purpose  of  setting  aside 
all  other  names  and  divisions  for  the  purpose  of  forming  one 
Evangelical  Church.  After  the  Thirty  Years'  War  a  Scotch- 
man spent  nearly  fifty  years  of  his  life  travelling  all  over 
Europe  and  sparing  neither  trouble  nor  expense  in  his  persist- 
ent efforts  to  accomplish  Protestant  Church  Union.  In  the 
very  midst  of  the  most  violent  rabies  theologorum  Calixtus 
cultivated  and  developed  an  irenic  tendency  which  sought 
the  object  of  theology  in  pure  Christian  life  rather  than  in  pure 
doctrine,  an  idea  that  was  developed  by  Spener,  the  father  of 


232     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

German  Pietism,  of  which  Zinzendorf  s  Unitas  Fratrum  later 
became  the  outward  expression.  In  1722  a  number  of  Ger- 
man princes  agreed  to  call  themselves  simply  Evangelical,  in- 
stead of  Lutheran,  Evangelical  Lutheran,  or  Reformed,  and 
not  only  in  Brandenburg  to  the  north,  where  the  great  Elector 
had  already  sought  to  promote  the  cause  of  Protestant  union 
in  every  way,  but  also  in  Wurttemberg  to  the  south  was  union 
sentiment  gaining  in  strength  to  such  an  extent  that  the  Uni- 
versity of  Tuebingen  came  to  stand  for  the  idea  that  uniform- 
ity of  doctrine  was  not  essential  to  unity,  but  that  conversion 
and  a  sanctified  life  expressed  in  terms  of  Christian  service 
were  to  be  insisted  upon.  When  the  blight  of  Rationalism  fell 
upon  the  German  Churches  during  the  eighteenth  century, 
those  Churches,  whether  Lutheran  or  Reformed,  suffered  least 
in  which  union  sentiment  was  strongest,  because  there  auto- 
matically the  vital  and  fundamental  doctrines  were  most  devel- 
oped, so  that  a  stronger  spiritual  life  was  better  able  to  resist 
the  destructive  influences. 

When  peace  had  been  restored  after  the  fall  of  Napoleon, 
King  Frederick  III  of  Prussia  took  advantage  of  the  prevailing 
sentiment  in  favor  of  a  definite  forward  step  in  the  develop- 
ment of  German  religious  life,  the  approaching  tercentenary 
of  the  Protestant  Reformation  furnishing  the  fitting  occasion 
for  the  cabinet  order  of  September  27,  1817,  which  gave  formal 
and  legal  status  to  the  union  of  the  Prussian  Lutheran  and  Re- 
formed Churches,  practical  plans  for  which  had  already  been 
formulated  in  several  provinces  by  Churches  of  both  sides. 
The  so-called  Prussian  Union  thus  stands  out  as  one  of  the 
landmarks  of  church  history,  and  it  almost  immediately  became 
fruitful  in  a  wide-spread  and  enthusiastic  missionary  activity 
as  the  evidence  of  its  actual  life  and  power.  The  German 
Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America  has  adopted  and  put 
into  practice  the  principles  there  laid  down,  viz.,  that  church 
unity  and  even  church  union  is  possible  without  uniformity  of 
teaching,  organization  or  government. 


THE  GEEMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYKOD  233 

Upon  the  basis  of  the  principles  here  outHned  very  briefly 
the  founders  of  the  Evangelical  Church  in  America  seventy- 
five  years  ago  (1840)  adopted  the  following  statement: 

''The  German  Evangelical  Church  Association  of  the  West 
(the  original  name  of  the  present  German  Evangelical  Synod 
of  North  America),  as  a  part  of  the  Evangelical  Church,  de- 
fines the  term  '  Evangelical  Church  '  as  denoting  that  branch 
of  the  Christian  Church  which  acknowledges  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  the  Word  of  God, 
the  sole  and  infallible  guide  of  faith  and  conduct,  and  accepts 
the  interpretation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  given  in  the  sym- 
bolic books  of  the  Lutheran  and  the  Reformed  Churches,  the 
most  important  of  these  being  the  Augsburg  Confession  and 
Luther's  and  the  Heidelberg  Catechisms,  in  so  far  as  they 
agree ;  where  they  disagree  the  German  Evangelical  Church 
Association  of  the  West  adheres  strictly  to  the  passages  of  Holy 
Scripture  bearing  on  the  subject,  and  avails  itself  of  the  liberty 
of  conscience  prevailing  in  the  Evangelical  Church." 

This  declaration  was  not  intended  as  a  new  creed  or  stand- 
ard of  belief,  but  merely  as  a  statement  of  principles,  the 
framers  of  the  declaration  realizing  that  the  formulation  of  a 
definite  creed  or  standard  must  be  contrary  to  the  very  prin- 
ciples they  desired  to  represent.  It  was  the  first  attempt  to 
express  the  idea  underlying  the  Prussian  Union  in  the  terms 
of  doctrine,  and  the  forward  step  in  the  development  of  the 
idea  was  taken  because  it  was  felt  that  in  the  New  World,  un- 
hampered by  ancient  and  opposing  traditions  and  policies, 
their  declaration  would  be  more  readily  understood  and  ap- 
preciated than  could  be  expected  amid  the  complicating  con- 
ditions of  European  religious  and  historical  development. 

The  value  of  the  Evangelical  method  of  treating  the  different 
points  of  view  expressed  in  the  teachings  of  the  Lutheran  and 
Reformed  Churches  is  perhaps  best  and  most  briefly  suggested 
by  the  story  of  the  two  knights  of  old  who,  coming  from  oppo- 
site directions,  met  one  day  before  the  statue  of  a  great  warrior 


234     CHURCHES  OF  THF  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

hero.  After  exchanging  greetings  they  fell  to  admiring  the  work 
of  the  artist,  praising  the  various  details  of  feature,  position,  etc. 

''Look  at  the  great  silver  shield,"  said  the  one;  ''how 
naturally  he  holds  it  aloft." 

"Silver  shield,  sayest  thou?"  answered  the  other;  "the 
shield  is  of  gold." 

"Gold!"  replied  the  other;  "do  I  not  see  with  my  own 
eyes  that  it  is  silver  ?     How  can  it  be  gold  ?  " 

"  And  I  know  it  is  gold  !  "  hotly  retorted  the  other.  "To 
say  it  is  silver  is  false  !  " 

"  No  man  accuses  me  of  falsehood  unpunished,"  cried  the 
other  in  a  rage,  rushing  at  his  opponent  with  drawn  sword. 
The  mortal  combat  was  soon  over,  and  as  the  victor,  himself 
fatally  wounded,  gazed  once  more  at  the  shield  above  him,  his 
dying  look  was  dazzled  by  the  glittering  gold.  One  side  of  the 
shield  was  of  silver ^  the  other  of  gold  ! 

The  Evangelical  Church  and  its  Relation  to  Other 

Denominations 

The  Evangelical  view  of  denominational  differences  at  once 
establishes  the  most  fraternal  relations  between  Evangelical 
Churches  and  pastors  and  all  other  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America.  No  difference  of  opinion  on  subordinate  matters 
has  ever  induced  the  German  Evangelical  Synod  of  North 
America  to  deny  communion  or  cooperation  to  any  sincere  and 
practical  disciples  of  the  Master  in  their  efforts  to  extend  the 
Kingdom,  nor  will  they  ever  be  permitted  to  do  so.  Its  basis 
is  broad  enough  for  all  who  earnestly  seek  to  glorify  Christ 
and  to  serve  Him  only,  as  well  as  for  any  kind  of  practical 
effort  with  that  object  in  view.  The  German  language,  to 
which  the  work  of  the  Evangelical  Church  in  America  has,  in 
the  nature  of  the  case,  been  largely  confined  in  the  past,  has 
tended  to  restrict  its  practical  fellowship  with  English-speaking 
denominations.  But  changing  conditions  are  weakening  and 
destroying  these  barriers,  so  that  nothing  remains  to  hinder  the 


THE  GEEMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYNOD      235 

free  and  full  intercourse  with  all  who  sincerely  profess  to  serve 
Jesus  Christ.  The  Evangelical  Church  has  an  important  con- 
tribution to  make  to  the  development  of  American  Christianity, 
and  is  glad  of  the  multiplying  opportunities  of  fulfilling  its  duty 
in  this  respect,  as  well  as  of  those  for  taking  advantage  of  any 
helpful  and  stimulating  influences  exercised  by  other  denomina- 
tions. 

The  very  loyalty  of  the  Evangelical  Church  towards  its 
Master  and  the  Gospel  of  His  saving  love,  and  the  very  earnest- 
ness with  which  it  seeks  to  labor  in  His  service,  tend  to  make 
it  cautious  in  the  adoption  of  new  ideas  and  methods.  Feel- 
ing deeply  the  responsibility  involved  in  the  proclamation  of 
the  gospel  message  it  aims  to  be  very  sure  of  getting  better 
practical  and  permanent  results  before  it  exchanges  the  methods 
of  evangelism,  education  and  church  work  which  have  proved 
themselves  of  abiding  value,  for  those  more  up-to-date,  or 
which  promise  a  mere  outward  show  of  results,  rather  than 
actual  efficiency.  Where  changing  conditions  make  a  modifi- 
cation of  the  methods  necessary,  the  Church  has  always  been 
found  broad  enough  to  realize  and  to  meet  the  need  and  to 
adapt  itself  to  the  new  conditions.  While  never  forgetting  the 
glorious  heritage  of  its  past,  it  aims  also  to  be  mindful  of  the 
needs  of  the  present  and  the  demands  of  the  future.  But 
everywhere  it  shall  be  Christ  and  He  only. 

It  remains  only  to  add  that  not  a  word  of  what  has  been 
stated  was  written  in  the  spirit  of  controversy  or  aspersion,  but 
simply  and  solely  in  the  effort  to  give  as  briefly  as  might  be 
done  in  the  limited  space  available  the  position  of  the  Evangel- 
ical Church  in  America  in  regard  to  the  idea  of  Christian  unity 
among  the  Protestant  denominations. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

Muecke  :   "  Geschichte  der  Deutschen  Ev.  Synode  von  N.  A. 
Bruning  and  Graper." 


236    CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  C0U:N'CIL 

A.   Shory :  "  History  of  the  German   Evangelical  Synod  of 
North  America"  (in  German),  St.  Louis,  1889. 

"  The  Evangelical  Church,  Its  History  and  Principles."     ■ 

"  The  Evangelical  Year  Book." 

All    to   be   obtained   from   the  Eden  Publishing  House,  St. 
Louis,  Mo. 


XXX 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 

THE  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  asserts 
that  she  is  a  part  of  that  Divine  Organism  which  was 
created  by  our  Lord  Christ ;  and  she  draws  especial 
attention  to  the  main  aspects  of  that  Kingdom  which  are  evolved 
both  from  our  Lord's  teaching  and  from  His  acts.  Christ 
proclaimed  the  Kingdom  of  God  as  a  spiritual  Kingdom,  in 
which  salvation  is  found,  and  the  organic  life-spirit  or  soul 
inherent  in  this  Kingdom  He  localized  here  on  earth  in  a 
corporate  body,  which  St.  Paul  calls  the  Body  of  Christ.  For 
the  perpetuation  of  this  corporate  body  on  earth  we  see  our 
Lord  following  out  a  definite  plan;  for  from  the  disciples 
which  had  accompanied  Him  "He  chose  twelve,  whom  also 
He  named  apostles." 

Our  Lord  taught  them  partly  by  His  own  self-revelation  and 
partly  by  His  words.  During  the  great  forty  days  which 
intervened  between  His  Resurrection  and  Ascension  our  Lord 
frequently  appeared  to  His  apostles  and  spoke  to  them  of  the 
things  pertaining  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  saying  at  His 
first  interview  '*As  My  Father  hath  sent  Me,  even  so  send  I 
you."  In  His  final  commission,  He  bade  His  apostles  go  to  all 
nations  and  make  disciples  of  them,  to  baptize  them,  and  to 
teach  them  all  things  that  He  had  commanded  them.  Later, 
there  is  recorded  the  election  of  Matthias  to  the  apostolate,  a  body 
distinctly  recognized  apart  from  the  other  disciples.  In  all  this 
we  see  that  a  visible,  external  body  is  being  evolved  to  which 
our  Lord  entrusted  a  deposit  of  faith,  with  potential  power  and 
authority.  They  were  to  establish,  and  perpetuate,  throughout 
the   world,    a  corporate   brotherhood   or   community  by  the 

237 


238     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

initial  ceremony  of  baptism,  for  the  members  of  which  a  second 
social  rite  was  ordained,  of  which  the  outward  element  or 
symbol  was  bread  and  wine. 

When  we  turn  to  St.  Paul  we  find  this  corporate  conception 
of  Christianity  to  be  a  leading  idea  in  the  Apostle's  teaching. 
He  uses  the  analogy  of  the  various  parts  of  the  human  body  to 
show  the  unity  of  the  body  of  Christ.  As  the  Church  spread 
throughout  the  world,  we  see  elders  or  presbyters  appointed 
over  local  congregations,  but  the  local  churches  were  not  inde- 
pendent or  self-contained  :  each  individual  Church  is  included 
in  the  one  universal  organism,  the  Body  of  Christ.  Neither 
does  St.  Paul  speak  of  himself  as  an  isolated  messenger,  but  as 
an  apostle  who  exercises  universal  oversight  over  the  Churches 
which  he  had  fostered  or  established.  Behind  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  early  Church  and  its  ministry  we  see  the  shadow 
of  the  apostolate — Primed  origines  ecclesice  catJioliccB — for  there 
is  one  Body  and  one  Spirit,  one  Lord,  one  Faith,  one  Baptism. 

Turning  to  the  sub-apostolic  writings,  first  The  Epistle  of  St. 
Clement  is  worthy  of  notice.  Reference  may  also  be  made  to 
the  letters  of  St.  Ignatius  115  a.  d.,  and  to  St.  Irenseus  and 
Tertullian.  St.  Cyprian  demands  more  than  a  passing  notice. 
He  stood  in  his  day  for  the  same  principle  that  the  English 
reformers  maintained  centuries  later.  Cyprian  contended  that 
the  other  apostles  were  what  Peter  was,  endowed  with  an  equal 
share  both  of  office  and  power ;  so  that  the  apostolate  was 
extended  to  all  their  successors,  namely,  the  bishops,  hence  the 
collective  Episcopate  is  the  supreme  authority  in  the  Church, 
and  not  the  See  of  Rome  alone.  A  Roman  Catholic  theolo- 
gian, Turmel,  remarks :  "  We  ought  to  recognize  that  in 
Cyprian's  view  the  dogma  of  the  Episcopate  has  obscured  the 
dogma  of  the  Papacy." 

The  Church  in  Britain 
It  is  difficult  to  say  when  Christianity  was  brought  first  to 
the  shores  of  Britain,  but  in  all  probability  it  was  taken  thither 


THE  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH    239 

by  some  of  the  Greek  colonists  or  their  descendants  who 
settled  in  Gaul.  This  is  partly  borne  out  by  the  fact  that  the 
early  British  Church  did  not  get  its  episcopate  from  Rome,  nor 
was  it  in  those  early  days  subject  to  Roman  influences.  This 
British  Church,  however,  gradually  disappeared,  and  with  the 
coming  of  Augustine  to  Kent,  at  the  request  of  Pope  Gregory 
in  596,  the  conversion  of  England  may  be  said  to  have  com- 
menced anew.  St.  Augustine  brought  with  him  the  monar- 
chical or  papal  idea  of  jurisdiction,  and  gradually  the  discipline 
and  worship  of  the  Latin  Church  were  imposed  upon  the 
Church  of  England.  After  the  Norman  conquest,  the  papal 
hold  tightened,  but  it  was  not  without  protest  that  some  of  the 
ancient  customs  were  given  up.  It  might  be  well  to  remark 
that  the  Church  in  England  was  a  spiritual  body,  with  inher- 
ent power  of  two  kinds  :  the  power  of  order  and  the  power  of 
jurisdiction.  The  power  of  order  is  sacramental,  and  is  exer- 
cised in  absolving,  in  consecrating,  and  in  ordaining.  The 
Church  had  her  own  spiritual  courts,  and  made  her  own 
Canons  in  convocation.  The  power  of  jurisdiction,  that  is, 
authority  over  persons,  and  the  enforcing  of  ecclesiastical  law, 
Rome  claimed  for  herself  as  her  exclusive  right.  The  Church 
of  England  according  to  the  papal  conception  was  wholly 
subject  to  the  authority  of  the  Pope.  On  the  other  hand, 
opposing  this  exclusive  Roman  claim,  was  the  Royal  supremacy, 
as  the  English  Sovereign's  authority  was  called.  In  self- 
defence  she  appealed  sometimes  to  the  Pope  against  the  tyranny 
of  the  King,  and  at  other  times  she  withstood  the  tyranny  of 
the  Pope  by  summoning  to  her  defence  the  national  party,  as 
in  the  instance  of  Magna  Charta.  In  the  sixteenth  century 
England  was  feeling  the  throes  of  a  nation.  A  great  middle 
class  was  growing  up  and  a  national  spirit  was  developing. 
There  was  a  growing  impatience  at  papal  interference ;  for  it 
was  felt  to  be  a  real  obstacle  to  national  progress.  The  Papal 
supremacy  practically  was  a  foreign  supremacy  ;  the  Royal 
supremacy,  however  tyrannical,  was,  at  least,  national. 


240     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  divorce  of  Henry  VIII  was  not  the  cause,  but  merely 
the  occasion,  of  the  break  between  England  and  Rome.  If  it 
had  never  happened,  some  other  incident  would  have  created, 
sooner  or  later,  the  breach.  The  King,  in  spite  of  his  power, 
would  never  have  accomplished  anything  had  the  country  not 
been  in  a  great  measure  hostile  to  the  administrative  policy  of 
Rome.  The  question  at  that  time  was  not  doctrinal,  but  one 
of  jurisdiction.  In  throwing  off  the  papal  yoke,  introduced  by 
Augustine,  the  Church  in  England  once  more  emerged  as  a 
national  Church. 

After  the  death  of  Henry,  and  influenced  by  the  Continental 
Protestant  reformation,  the  Church  in  the  following  reign 
studied  afresh  the  first  principles  of  Christianity,  with  the  result 
that  she  remained  as  Catholic  as  before,  but  emphasized,  as  had 
not  been  done  for  many  centuries,  the  distinction  between  doc- 
trine and  pious  practices  and  teaching.  Of  the  latter,  some  she 
repudiated  as  mediaeval  accretions.  One  great  principle  which 
the  Church  of  England  maintained,  and  which  earned  for  her  the 
name  Protestant,  was  the  repudiation  of  the  papal  claim  to  exclu- 
sive control  in  matters  of  faith,  morals  and  spiritual  jurisdiction. 

The  Church  of  England  returned  to  the  primitive  view  : 
that  the  collective  Episcopate  was  the  unit ;  and  that  the  test 
of  truth  was  the  teaching  of  the  undivided  Church,  based  on 
the  teaching  of  Holy  Scripture.  A  prayer-book  was  issued, 
which  was  later  twice  revised,  that  set  forth  the  doctrine  and 
worship  of  the  English  Church.  The  continuity  of  the  Apos- 
tolic Succession  was  insured  by  the  consecration  of  Archbishop 
Parker  in  1559,  and  thereafter  of  other  bishops. 

The  Church  in  America 
The  Church  of  England  in  this  country,  in  Colonial  days, 
was  lacking  in  organization.  Missionaries  were  sent  out  from 
the  venerable  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  but  no 
bishop  resided  in  the  colonies.  After  the  Revolutionary  War 
the  Church  in  this  country  separated  herself  from  the  English 


THE  PEOTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH    241 

Church,  and  became  national  and  American  in  character. 
The  question  arose  shortly  by  what  name  she  should  be 
known  in  these  United  States.  In  1780  at  Chestertown,  Md,, 
a  convention  of  local  clergy  was  held,  and  the  name 
"The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church"  was  adopted.  Later 
this  name  was  accepted  by  the  whole  Church  as  its  legal  name 
and  title. 

A  question  more  pressing  than  the  name  soon  became  upper- 
most. The  American  Church  lacked  a  native  Episcopate. 
The  difficulty  was  finally  adjusted  by  ten  of  the  clergy  in 
Connecticut,  assembled  at  Woodbury,  on  the  feast  of  the  An- 
nunciation, 1783,  electing  Dr.  Samuel  Seabury  as  bishop.  He 
went  to  England  for  consecration,  but  owing  to  political  diffi- 
culties he  was  not  successful,  and  finally  he  sought  the  non- 
juring  bishops  of  Scotland  by  whom  he  was  consecrated  in 
Aberdeen,  1784.  The  Episcopate  was  afterwards  secured 
from  the  English  bishops  by  Dr.  White  and  Dr.  Provost  in 
1787,  and  by  Dr.  Madison  in  1790.  This  gave  the  American 
Church  the  necessary  organization  for  the  apostolic  transmission 
of  orders  and  growth  in  this  land.  To-day,  the  general  execu- 
tive body  of  this  Church  is  the  General  Convention,  which 
meets  once  in  three  years,  consisting  of  the  House  of  Bishops 
and  the  House  of  Deputies ;  members  of  the  latter  House  are 
elected  by  the  local  council  of  each  diocese.  There  are  now 
(1915)  in  the  American  Church  116  bishops,  5,715  clergy  and 
about  one  million  communicants. 

Doctrine  and  Worship 
The  worship  of  the  Church  is  liturgical,  but  more  than  this, 
it  is  sacramental.  The  Episcopal  Church  builds  its  teaching 
on  three  great  doctrines :  the  Mystery  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  the 
Mystery  of  the  Incarnation  and  the  Mystery  of  the  Atonement. 
A  sacrament  is,  according  to  her,  "  An  outward  and  visible  sign 
of  an  inward  and  spiritual  grace."  In  a  certain  sense,  the 
great  primary  sacrament  is  the  sacrament  of  the  Incarnation. 


242     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUITCIL 

The  other  sacraments  are  but  extensions  of  this  great  Mystery, 
and  they  minister  to  the  Life  which  the  Incarnate  Christ 
bestows,  e.g.,  in  Holy  Baptism:  "Except  a  man  be  born  of 
water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of 
God."  So,  again,  in  the  Holy  Communion:  bread  and  wine, 
the  words  of  consecration,  the  mystery  and  the  revelation  : 
"  He  that  eateth  My  flesh  and  drinketh  My  blood  hath  eternal 
life."  In  this  great  sacrament  we  are  spiritually  fed  by  Christ, 
and  are  made  strong  with  His  life.  Thus  the  life  of  each  indi- 
vidual in  the  Church  is  gathered  up  into  Christ's  Life;  our  out- 
ward life  becomes  the  symbol  which  expresses  the  inward  and 
spiritual  reality  of  the  divine  sacramental  life  of  Christ  within 
us.  Sometimes  the  charge  is  made  that  the  Episcopal  Church 
is  sacerdotal,  and  this  is  true ;  but  not  in  the  reproachful  sense 
in  which  the  charge  is  sometimes  made.  As  each  member  has 
been  drawn  into  Christ's  Incarnate  Life,  so  each  member  enters 
into  the  Mystery  of  the  Atonement,  as  each  is  drawn  into  the 
sacrificial  activity  of  Christ's  Passion  and  everlasting  Priest- 
hood. Every  member  of  the  Church  is  sacerdotal  in  the  sense 
that  St.  Paul  is  sacerdotal,  when  he  says:  ''The  grace  that 
was  given  me  of  God  that  I  should  be  the  priest  of  Jesus  Christ 
unto  the  Gentiles,  ministering  the  work  of  a  priest  in  respect 
of  the  Gospel  of  God  "  (Rom.  xv.  i6).  The  Church  is  "one 
body,"  and  this  one  body  has  different  organs  through  which 
the  functions  of  its  life  find  expression.  Thus  Confirmation, 
which  is  conferred  by  the  laying  on  of  the  bishop's  hands,  and 
in  which  Ordinance  the  sevenfold  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are 
conferred  to  strengthen  the  spiritual  life,  is  sometimes  called 
the  ordination  of  the  laity.  And  Holy  Orders,  conferred  in 
like  manner  by  the  bishop,  is  ordination  to  the  same  divine 
ministry — as  deacon  or  priest,  but  in  a  different  order.  In  the 
one  Body  there  must  be  social  and  mutual  dependence,  and  the 
ministry  is  the  physical  or  earthly  instrument  of  the  Church's 
unity  and  life. 


THE  PEOTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH    243 

World  Conference  on  Faith  and  Order 
The  General  Convention,  the  authorized  body  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church,  has  appointed  a  commission  on  Faith  and  Order 
to  confer  with  sister  Communions  upon  the  subject  of  Unity. 
Various  meetings  between  Christian  bodies  have  been  held,  and 
a  new  spirit  of  charity  and  appreciation  for  one  another  has 
resulted.  Indeed,  there  is  already  a  unity  of  spirit ;  whether 
in  God's  own  good  time  there  may  be  unity  in  the  Body  Cor- 
porate remains  still  to  be  seen,  "but  with  God  nothing  is 
impossible."  One  can  only  pray  that  all  hearts  may  be  so 
filled  with  the  love  of  Christ,  and  all  eyes  so  opened  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  that  all  may  be  made  one  in  Him  who  liveth  and 
reigneth,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  One  God,  now  and 
forever.  Amen. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"The  Churchman's  Ready  Reference,"  by  A.  C.  Haversdck. 
The  Young  Churchman  Company.  A  popular  work  on 
the  Episcopal  Church. 

"Grammar  of  Theology,"  by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  F.  C.  Ewer. 
The  Young  Churchman  Company.  Rather  more  tech- 
nical than  the  foregoing. 

Blunt's  "  Household  Theology,"  Longmans,  Green  &  Co., 
New  York.     This  is  of  a  popular  character,  but  English. 

"  Reasons  for  Being  a  Churchman,"  by  Rev.  A.  W.  Little. 
The  Young  Churchman  Company. 

"  Catholic  Principles,"  by  Rev.  F.  N.  Westcott.  The 
Young  Churchman  Company. 

"  The  Episcopal  Church,"  by  Rev.  George  Hodges,  D.  D. 
Church  Literature  Press. 

"The  Ritual  Reason  Why,"  by  Charles  Walker.  The 
Young  Churchman  Company. 

"The  Congregation  in  Church."  The  Young  Churchman 
Company. 

"  The  Ways  and  Teachings  of  the  Church,"  by  L.  M.  A. 
Haughwont.     The  Young  Churchman  Company. 


XXXI 

The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America 

THE  first  approach  towards  federation  was  the  organ- 
ization of  Christian  men  and  women  in  various  vol- 
untary organizations,  upon  particular  interests  which 
were  obviously  common  to  all  the  Churches.  Thus  there  have 
arisen,  during  the  past  half  century,  a  large  number  of  inter- 
denominational movements,  The  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, the  Young  Women's  Christian  Association,  the  United 
Society  of  Christian  Endeavor  and  various  other  young  people's 
movements,  the  Brotherhood  of  Andrew  and  Philip  and  other 
similar  bodies,  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement,  the  Stu- 
dent Volunteer  Movement,  the  International  Sunday-School 
Association,  and  other  cooperative  organizations. 

Another  type  of  such  movements  is  represented  by  the  Amer- 
ican Bible  Society,  the  American  Tract  Society,  and  similar 
societies  whose  chief  distinctive  common  characteristic  is  that 
they  are  comprised  within  the  realm  of  what  are  known  as  the 
Evangelical  Churches. 

A  still  different  type  are  the  various  temperance  and  other 
reform  organizations,  as  well  as  a  multitude  of  societies  for 
social  and  philanthropic  work  which,  while  having  a  less  inti- 
mate connection  with  the  churches,  are  almost  entirely  made 
up  of  officials  and  members  of  the  churches,  many  of  which 
either  tacitly  or  explicitly  regard  these  organizations  as  ex- 
pressing the  will  of  the  Church. 

These  movements  and  organizations,  while  each  concerned 
with  its  own  special  interest,  have,  at  points,  found  their  work 

244 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  245 

to  be  in  common,  and  have,  in  their  turn,  entered  into  volun- 
tary cooperation. 

Later  on  this  general  movement  assumed  a  more  official 
character  through  the  Home  Missions  Boards,  resulting  ulti- 
mately in  the  Home  Missions  Council  in  1908,  the  Missionary 
Education  Movement  for  the  common  publication  of  mission- 
ary literature,  and  the  Foreign  Missions  Conference  of  North 
America  representing  the  Foreign  Mission  interests  of  the 
churches.  The  women's  boards  of  missions  have  organized 
the  Council  of  Women  for  Home  Missions  and  the  Federation 
of  Women's  Boards  of  Foreign  Missions.  The  Sunday-School 
Council  of  Evangelical  Denominations  also  belongs  in  this 
category. 

The  organizations  which  have  been  named  do  not  complete 
the  entire  list,  but  are  mentioned  simply  as  indicating  these 
forms  of  cooperative  denominationalism.  They  are  mainly 
voluntary  movements,  and  those  made  up  of  official  organiza- 
tions are  officially  representative  of  those  boards  and  not  of  the 
denominations  themselves.  Most  of  them  are  now  in  coopera- 
tion with  each  other  in  the  Federal  Council's  Commission  on 
Federated  Movements. 

Meanwhile  other  Christian  leaders,  among  whom  should  be 
mentioned  William  Earl  Dodge  and  Dr.  Philip  Schaff,  whose 
vision  and  interest  comprehended  the  whole  realm  of  Christian 
enterprise,  organized  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  which  while  it 
was  not  an  official  organization,  did,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
within  a  limited  sphere,  speak  and  act  for  the  American 
churches. 

The  federative  movement,  speaking  in  the  stricter  sense  of 
the  word,  began  in  the  local  communities,  the  first  federation 
of  churches  having  been  the  New  York  (City)  Federation 
of  Churches,  in  1895,  and  the  Massachusetts  Federation 
of  Churches  in  1902. 

At  this  point  mention  should  be  made  of  the  simultaneous 
movement  towards  cooperation  and  federation  in  the  foreign 


246     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

field.  Attention  should  be  called  to  the  fact  that  federation 
in  the  home  field  is  largely  in  the  nature  of  a  reflex  action 
from  foreign  missions.  From  time  to  time,  since  1872,  when 
the  first  conference  was  held  in  Yokohama,  and  the  translation 
of  the  Bible  arranged  for,  various  gatherings  of  missionaries 
were  held  in  Japan,  looking  towards  increasing  cooperation, 
the  most  notable  of  these  being  the  Osaka  Conference  in  1881, 
and  the  Tokyo  Conference  in  1900.  The  transition  was  so 
gradual  and  normal  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  determine  the 
date  of  what  might  be  called  the  first  federation  of  churches  in 
the  foreign  field. 

The  following  historical  statements  are  made  on  the  basis 
of  previous  reports  in  which  conflicting  dates  are  given  : 

The  year  in  which  the  first  local  federation  of  churches  was 
formed,  1895,  ^^  ^^^  annual  meeting  of  the  Open  and  Institu- 
tional Church  League,  one  of  the  many  interdenominational 
movements  of  that  time,  the  secretary  of  that  organization, 
Rev.  E.  B.  Sanford,  in  an  address  calling  upon  the  churches 
for  larger  social  service,  gave  prophetic  utterance  to  the  call 
for  Christian  unity  as  a  sovereign  interest  in  the  work  of  the 
League. 

At  about  this  time,  several  measures  were  proposed,  and 
some  organizations  approached,  all  looking  towards  the  same 
end.  We  may  take  as  an  example  of  these  the  proposal  of  the 
Brotherhood  of  Andrew  and  Philip,  in  1891,  which  resulted  in 
the  formulation  of  a  constitution  which  provided  for  <*  a 
Federal  Council  "  whose  members  were  to  be  appointed  offi- 
cially by  the  highest  judicatories  of  their  representatives  on  the 
Executive  Councils  of  denominational  brotherhoods,  the  first 
federal  convention  of  this  organization  being  held  in  the 
Marble  Collegiate  Church  in  New  York  in  1893.  The  founder 
of  the  brotherhood,  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Miller,  later  became  a 
member  of  the  Executive  Committee  appointed  at  Carnegie 
Hall.     Other  similar  examples  might  be  mentioned. 

The  first  meeting  looking  directly  towards  federation  was 


THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL  247 

held  in  New  York  in  1899.  The  presiding  officer  was 
William  E.  Dodge  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance  and  its  admin- 
istrative work  was  performed  by  Dr.  Sanford  who  ultimately 
became  the  corresponding  secretary  and  is  now  the  honorary 
secretary  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America.  It  authorized  action  that  brought  about,  in  Phila- 
delphia, the  next  year,  the  National  Federation  of  Churches, 
whose  membership  was  composed  of  representatives  of  local 
churches  and  federations.  The  Executive  Committee  of  the 
meeting  in  1899  sent  forth  an  utterance  propounding  the 
question,  **  May  we  not  also  look  forward  to  a  National  Fede- 
ration of  all  our  Protestant  Christian  denominations,  through 
their  official  heads,  which  shall  utter  a  declaration  of  Chris- 
tian unity  and  accomplish  in  good  part  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prayer  of  our  Lord,  *  that  they  all  may  be  one,  that  the  world 
may  know  that  Thou  hast  sent  Me.'  " 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  National  Federation  in  Wash- 
ington, in  1902,  a  Committee  of  Correspondence  was  authorized 
to  request  the  highest  ecclesiastical  or  advisory  bodies  of  the 
evangelical  denominations  to  appoint  representative  delegates 
to  a  Conference  to  be  held  in  1905.  This  Conference,  at 
Carnegie  Hall,  New  York,  adopted  the  Constitution  of  the 
Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  which, 
after  ratification  by  the  constituent  bodies  in  its  fellowship, 
brought  about  the  final  and  complete  organization  of  the  Fed- 
eral Council  at  Philadelphia  in  1908. 

The  1905  Conference  elected  Rev.  William  H.  Roberts  as 
permanent  chairman,  and  the  new  federation  was  really  more 
or  less  in  existence  during  the  period  from  1905  to  the  final 
organization  in  1908,  through  a  permanent  executive  com- 
mittee under  the  chairmanship  of  Dr.  Roberts.  Annual  re- 
ports were  published  in  1906  and  1907,  regarding  not  only 
the  progress  of  organization  but  also  the  development  of  the 
federative  movement  in  local  communities  and  in  the  foreign  field. 

Finally,   "  the  meeting  of  the  first  Federal  Council  of  the 


248     CHUKCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

Churches  of  Christ  in  America  was  opened  in  the  Academy 
of  Music  in  Philadelphia  at  7  :  45  p.  m.,  on  Wednesday  even- 
ing, December  2d,  the  Rev.  William  Henry  Roberts  perma- 
nent chairman  of  the  Interchurch  Conference  of  1905  and  the 
chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee  having  charge  of  the 
Philadelphia  meeting,  being  the  presiding  officer." 

The  distinctiveness  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches 
of  Christ  in  America  lay  in  the  fact  that  it  was  not,  like  the 
other  movements,  a  voluntary  interdenominational  fellowship, 
but  an  officially  and  ecclesiastically  organized  body. 

This  was  the  ideal  clearly  in  view  when  the  Interchurch 
Conference  was  called  to  convene  at  Carnegie  Hall,  New 
York,  in  November,  1905.  The  following  is  the  preamble 
and  the  substance  of  the  Plan  of  Federation  adopted  by  that 
Conference ; 


The  Constitution  of  the  Federal  Council 

Plan  of  Federation  Recommended  by  the  Interchurch  Confer- 
ence of  igo^,  Adopted  by  the  National  Assemblies  of  Con- 
stituent Bodies,  igo6-igo8,  Ratified  by  the  Council  at  its 
Meeting  in  Philadelphia^  December  2-8,  igo8. 

Preamble 
Whereas,  In  the  providence  of  God,  the  time  has  come 
when  it  seems  fitting  more  fully  to  manifest  the  essential  one- 
ness of  the  Christian  Churches  of  America  in  Jesus  Christ  as 
their  Divine  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  to  promote  the  spirit  of 
fellowship,  service  and  cooperation  among  them,  the  delegates 
to  the  Interchurch  Conference  on  Federation,  assembled  in 
New  York  City,  do  hereby  recommend  the  following  Plan  of 
Federation  to  the  Christian  bodies  represented  in  this  Confer- 
ence for  their  approval  : 

Plan  of  Federation 
For  the  prosecution  of  work  that  can  be  better  done  in  union 
than  in  separation  a  Council  is  hereby  established  whose  name 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  249 

shall  be  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America. 

The  following  Christian  bodies  shall  be  entitled  to  representa- 
tion in  this  Federal  Council  on  their  approval  of  the  purpose 
and  plan  of  the  organization  : 


The  Baptist  Churches  of  the  United  States. 

The  Free  Baptist  General  Conference. 

The  National  Baptist  Convention  (African). 

The  Christians  (The  Christian  Connection). 

The  Congregational  Churches. 

The  Congregational  Methodist  Churches. 

The  Disciples  of  Christ. 

The  Evangelical  Association. 

The  Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America. 

The  Friends. 

The  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  General  Synod. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South. 

The  Primitive  Methodist  Church. 

The  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Church. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church. 

The  General  Conference  of  the  Mennonite  Church  of  North 

America. 
The  Moravian  Church. 
The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A. 
The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S. 
The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  or  Presbyterian  Church. 
The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church. 
The  United  Presbyterian  Church. 
The  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 
The  Reformed  Church  in  America. 
The  Reformed  Church  of  the  U.  S.  A. 
The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church. 
The  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Churches. 
The  Swedish  Lutheran  Augustana  Synod. 
The  United  Brethren  in  Christ. 
The  United  Evangelical  Church. 


250     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  object  of  this  Federal  Council  shall  be  — 
I.  To   express   the   fellowship   and  catholic  unity  of  the 

Christian  Church. 
II.  To  bring  the  Christian  bodies  of  America  into  united 
service  for  Christ  and  the  world. 

III.  To  encourage  devotional  fellowship  and  mutual  counsel 

concerning  the  spiritual  life  and  religious  activities  of 
the  churches. 

IV.  To  secure  a  larger  combined  influence  for  the  churches 

of  Christ  in  all  matters  affecting  the  moral  and  social 
condition  of  the  people,  so  as  to  promote  the  applica- 
tion of  the  law  of  Christ  in  every  relation  of  human  life. 
V.  To  assist  in  the  organization  of  local  branches  of  the 
Federal  Council  to  promote  its  aims  in  their  com- 
munities. 
This  Federal  Council  shall  have  no  authority  over  the  con- 
stituent bodies  adhering  to  it ;  but  its  province  shall  be  limited 
to  the  expression  of  its  counsel  and  the  recommending  of  a 
course  of  action  in  matters  of  common  interest  to  the  churches, 
local  councils  and  individual  Christians. 

It  has  no  authority  to  draw  up  a  common  creed  or  form  of 
government  or  of  worship,  or  in  any  way  to  limit  the  full 
autonomy  of  the  Christian  bodies  adhering  to  it. 

Members  of  this  Federal  Council  shall  be  appointed  as  fol- 
lows : 

Each  of  the  Christian  bodies  adhering  to  this  Federal  Coun- 
cil shall  be  entitled  to  four  members,  and  shall  be  further 
entitled  to  one  member  for  every  50,000  of  its  communicants  or 
major  fraction  thereof. 

Any  action  to  be  taken  by  this  Federal  Council  shall  be  by 
the  general  vote  of  its  members.  But  in  case  one-third  of  the 
members  present  and  voting  request  it,  the  vote  shall  be  by  the 
bodies  represented,  the  members  of  each  body  voting  separately ; 
and  action  shall  require  the  vote,  not  only  of  a  majority  of  the 
members  voting,  but  also  of  the  bodies  represented. 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUKCIL  251 

Other  Christian  bodies  may  be  admitted  into  membership  of 
this  Federal  Council  on  their  request  if  approved  by  a  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  the  members  voting  at  a  session  of  this  council, 
and  of  two-thirds  of  the  bodies  represented,  the  representatives 
of  each  body  voting  separately. 

This  Plan  of  Federation  shall  become  operative  when  it  shall 
have  been  approved  by  two-thirds  of  the  above  bodies  to  which 
it  shall  be  presented. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  delegation  to  this  Conference  to 
present  this  Plan  of  Federation  to  its  national  body,  and  ask  its 
consideration  and  proper  action. 

In  case  this  Plan  of  Federation  is  approved  by  two-thirds  of 
the  proposed  constituent  bodies  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
National  Federation  of  Churches  and  Christian  Workers,  which 
has  called  this  Conference,  is  requested  to  call  the  Federal 
Council  to  meet  at  a  fitting  place  in  December,  1908. 


This  Plan  of  Federation  was  ultimately  adopted  by  nearly  all 
of  the  denominations  to  whom  it  was  referred,  resulting  in  the 
organization  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ 
in  America  at  Philadelphia,  in  December,  1908. 

The  letter  missive  to  the  various  constituent  bodies,  issued 
by  the  Philadelphia  Council,  was  as  follows  : 

The  Letter  Missive 
*'  The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America^ 

To 

**In  the  name  and  fellowship  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Divine  Lord 
and  Saviour,  Greeting  : 

"  It  is  our  high  privilege  to  announce  to  you  that  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  in  pursuance  of 
the  plan  adopted  at  the  Interchurch  Conference  on  Federation 
held   at   Carnegie   Hall,   New  York  City,  November   15-21, 


252     CHURCHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

1905,  and  subsequently  ratified  by  the  several  constituent 
bodies  there  represented,  has  now,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
in  its  first  meeting,  December  2-8,  1908,  completed  most  har- 
moniously its  organization  and  enters  with  the  enthusiasm  of 
conviction  upon  its  work. 

"  The  roll  of  the  Council  disclosed  the  fact  that  there  were 
present  over  three  hundred  delegates  owing  allegiance  to 
thirty-three  churches,  representing  over  seventeen  millions  of 
communicants  and  in  members  and  adherents  more  than  half 
the  population  of  the  United  States.  The  Council  elected  as 
its  officers  for  four  years  the  Rev.  Eugene  R.  Hendrix,  LL.  D., 
Bishop  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  President ; 
the  Rev.  E.  B.  Sanford,  D.  D. ,  Corresponding  Secretary ;  the 
Rev.  Rivington  D.  Lord,  D.  D.,  Recording  Secretary,  and  Mr. 
Alfred  R.  Kimball,  Treasurer.  The  Executive  Committee, 
upon  which  large  responsibilities  are  placed,  will  consist  of  one 
representative  from  each  constituent  body  with  another  member 
for  every  five  hundred  thousand  additional  church  members. 
Committees  of  at  least  twenty-five  members,  subject  to  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee,  were  provided  for  on  Foreign  Missions, 
Home  Missions,  Education  and  Literature,  Temperance,  Fam- 
ily Life,  Social  Service.  Four  branch  offices  in  strategic 
centers  were  authorized,  to  be  established  at  the  discretion  of 
the  Executive  Committee.  The  Committee  was  empowered  to 
hold  its  annual  meetings  in  different  parts  of  the  country  for 
the  promotion  of  the  principles  and  practice  of  federation. 

'*  The  Federal  Council,  as  it  became  conscious  of  the  num- 
bers and  potency  of  the  religious  forces  represented  in  its  mem- 
bership, was  profoundly  impressed  with  the  present  opportunity 
for  coordinating  the  churches  in  the  interest  of  wiser  and  larger 
service  for  America  and  for  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

**  The  relation  of  the  Council  to  present  and  future  enter- 
prises of  the  several  churches  and  to  interdenominational  move- 
ments was  considered  in  untrammelled  discussion.  With  ut- 
most care  the  scope  of  its  duties  and  the  limitations  of  its 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  253 

powers  were  defined.  Its  final  conclusions  were  reached  in 
every  instance  with  substantial  unanimity.  The  wide  range  of 
topics,  practical,  timely,  vital,  which,  in  papers,  debate  and 
popular  addresses,  held  the  attention  of  the  Council,  revealed 
with  startling  clearness  that  essential  unity  in  convictions,  in 
aims,  in  sympathy,  in  faith,  which,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
movement  toward  federation,  has  been  felt  surely  to  underlie 
the  hopes  and  activities  of  the  churches  of  Christ.  Strong  ut- 
terances on  the  relation  of  the  Church  to  Modern  Industry,  to 
Temperance,  to  International  Peace,  to  Family  Life,  to  Relig- 
ious Instruction,  were  adopted  with  an  enthusiasm  in  which  no 
distinctions  of  sect  or  of  section  could  be  detected.  The  ad- 
vance from  cooperation  to  federation  in  certain  foreign  mission 
fields  was  discussed  with  animation  by  experts  in  administra- 
tion, and  was  emphasized  with  unqualified  approval.  The 
confidence  that  by  true  federation  in  the  home  land,  on  the 
frontiers  and  in  the  cities,  the  production  of  power  will  surely 
follow  the  reduction  of  waste,  was  on  every  side  affirmed. 
The  organization  of  state,  municipal  and  other  local  federations 
of  the  churches  was  described  by  men  to  whom  such  move- 
ments are  no  longer  experimental.  The  practical  possibilities 
of  combining  and  concentrating  by  some  system  of  federation 
the  scattered  forces  of  the  Church  for  the  abatement  of  civic 
and  national  evils,  for  the  increased  efficiency  of  Christian 
service  and  for  the  maintenance  of  social  righteousness  were 
set  forth  with  convincing  earnestness.  The  addresses  at  the 
large  receptions  and  popular  meetings,  in  which  the  broad  in- 
terests of  the  Kingdom  of  God  were  reviewed  by  men  notable 
in  their  several  departments,  in  missions  at  home  and  abroad, 
in  the  field  of  labor,  in  brotherhood,  in  evangelism,  in  young 
people's  work,  lifted  and  widened  the  horizon,  and  revealed  to 
the  keener  vision  the  vast  outreach  of  the  redemptive  purpose  of 
Christ  and  the  glorious  enterprise  to  which  His  Church  is  called. 
*'  These  discussions  and  conclusions  of  the  Council  will  be 
presented  to  you  in  the  published  volume  of  its  proceedings. 


254     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

"  The  larger  view  of  the  task  of  the  whole  Christian  fellow- 
ship and  the  deeper  sense  of  its  obligation  disclosed  more 
clearly  each  day  our  fundamental  unity  in  faith  and  service. 
There  was  a  new  zest  in  exalting  the  essentials  on  which  we 
agreed,  without  disloyalty  to  the  distinctive  tenets  of  the  sev- 
eral churches.  No  apology  for  fraternity  was  offered.  Comity 
became  comradeship.  Fellowship  increased  force.  It  became 
natural  to  keep  step,  and  the  march  had  the  *  swing  of 
victory.' 

"  The  Federal  Council  asks  no  larger  blessing  for  the  Chris- 
tian churches  whose  authority  has  constituted  it  than  that  to 
their  remotest  borders  may  be  extended  this  quickened  con- 
sciousness of  brotherhood,  and  that  to  all  their  Councils  and 
congregations  may  come  this  vision  of  the  power  and  progress 
of  the  churches  as,  one  in  spirit  and  federated  in  activity,  they 
advance  on  their  world-wide  mission  in  the  demonstration  of 
the  Spirit  and  under  the  leadership  of  their  Redeeming  and 
Conquering  Lord. 

"Fresh  from  these  experiences  and  convinced  of  these  facts, 
we  urge  anew  upon  the  several  churches  the  value  of  federative 
action.  Federation  involves  no  surrender  of  individuality,  but 
invites  cooperation  in  a  common  cause.  It  neither  requires 
nor  avoids  a  conviction  concerning  organic  union,  but  provides 
a  practicable  method  of  cooperation  and  emphasizes  the  essen- 
tial unity  of  the  churches.  It  accords  with  the  spirit  of  the  age 
and  with  the  genius  of  American  institutions.  It  gives  scope  and 
play  to  those  personal  and  denominational  forces  which  in  isola- 
tion become  peculiarities,  but  in  combination  produce  power. 
While  it  excludes  the  distinctions  of  neither  dogma  nor  ritual, 
it  exalts  the  essential  Christian  life.  By  it  the  power  lost  in 
friction  may  be  transformed  into  propelling  force  and  the  Gos- 
pel of  the  Kingdom  become  more  significant  to  the  world  than 
can  any  formal  expression  into  which,  through  the  centuries, 
its  wondrous  tidings  have  been  crystallized. 

**  The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America, 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  255 

now  formally  organized,  avows  anew  its  belief  in  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  Divine  Lord  and  Saviour.  Realizing  profoundly  the  es- 
sential oneness  in  Him  of  the  Christian  churches  of  America, 
thus  associated,  the  Council  desires  most  earnestly  to  promote 
among  you  *the  spirit  of  fellowship,  service  and  cooperation.' 
It  invokes  upon  you  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God,  that  in  larger 
measure,  as  you  meet  the  tasks,  immediate,  startling,  grave, 
which  confront  you  in  our  American  life.  His  will  may  be  done 
in  and  through  you.  We  ask  the  aid  of  your  supplications  that 
in  the  effort,  in  so  far  as  that  service  may  fall  to  us,  to  coordi- 
nate the  forces  of  the  churches  and  to  express  to  the  world  their 
common  conviction  and  purpose,  we  may  be  ever  directed  by 
Him  whom  as  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  we  worship  and 
obey. 

*'  May  the  greater  world  of  the  present  age,  constantly  en- 
larged and  enriched  from  the  resources  of  nature  and  by  the 
energies  of  man,  find  for  its  redemption  the  larger  Church, 
united  in  all  its  parts  by  its  one  faith  in  the  Divine  Lord  and 
its  one  love  for  men  always,  everywhere,  to  the  end  that  His 
Kingdom  may  come  and  His  will  be  done  on  earth  even  as  it 
is  in  heaven. 

"  When  the  standards  of  the  Gospel  shall  have  become  the 
rule  of  Society,  His  Kingdom  will  be  here.  When  His  Spirit 
shall  have  conquered  and  sanctified  the  individual  life,  His  Will 
will  be  done.  Out  of  the  glowing  heart  of  this  new  fellowship 
of  faith,  of  love,  of  service,  the  Federal  Council  fervently  ap- 
peals to  the  churches  to  search  out  the  common  ways  of  united 
and  unselfish  ministry,  to  give  sway  to  the  holy  passion  for  sav- 
ing men,  to  demonstrate  unanswerably,  in  complete  surrender 
to  their  one  Lord,  the  permanent  reality  of  this  profounder 
sense  of  unity,  by  eager  loyalty,  intense,  unswerving,  to  the 
mighty  purpose  of  salvation  which  brought  Jesus  Christ  to  hu- 
manity and  through  Him  is  surely  lifting  humanity  up  to 
God." 


256     CHTJECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

The  following  restatement  of  principles  underlying  and  guid- 
ing the  work  of  the  Federal  Council  was  adopted  by  the  Exec- 
utive Committee  at  its  annual  meeting  in  Baltimore,  December, 

1913: 

Statement  of  Principles 

*'  Its  Distinctive  Character  in  Relation  to  the  Denominations. 
— The  difference  between  the  Federal  Council  and  organiza- 
tions of  similar  general  purpose  which  preceded  it  is  that  it  is 
not  an  individual  or  voluntary  agency  or  simply  an  interde- 
nominational fellowship,  but  it  is  a  body  officially  constituted 
by  the  Churches. 

"Its  differentiation  from  other  movements  looking  towards 
unity  is  that  it  brings  together  the  various  denominations  for 
union  in  service  rather  than  in  polity  or  doctrinal  statement. 

'*The  original  delegates  to  the  Interchurch  Conference  on 
Federation,  which  organized  the  Federal  Council,  felt  that  these 
limitations  were  necessary  in  order  that  such  an  organization 
might  have  adequate  strength  and  momentum. 

^^  Its  Representative  Character. — The  Federal  Council  is, 
therefore,  the  sum  of  all  its  parts.  It  is  not  an  unrelated  or- 
ganization. Its  function  has  been  to  express  the  will  of  its  con- 
stituent bodies  and  not  to  legislate  for  them.  Were  this,  how- 
ever, to  be  construed  as  precluding  the  utterance  of  the  voice 
of  the  churches  upon  matters  in  regard  to  which  the  conscious- 
ness and  the  conscience  of  Christianity  are  practically  unani- 
mous, the  Federal  Council  would  be  shorn  of  the  power  given 
it  by  the  constituent  bodies  when  they  adopted  as  one  of  its  ob- 
jects :  'To  secure  a  larger  combined  influence  for  the  churches 
of  Christ  in  all  matters  affecting  the  moral  and  social  condition 
of  the  people,  so  as  to  promote  the  application  of  the  law  of 
Christ  in  every  relation  of  human  life.' 

"  Deno7nifiational  Autonomy. — In  the  original  Plan  of  Federa- 
tion the  autonomy  of  the  constituent  bodies  is,  however,  wisely 
safeguarded.  No  action  by  the  Federal  Council,  even  though 
taken,   as  all  its  important  actions  have  been  taken,  by  the 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  257 

unanimous  vote  of  the  officially  constituted  delegates  of  the  con- 
stituent bodies,  can,  by  the  terms  of  its  constitution,  be  legally 
imposed  upon  those  constituent  bodies.  Such  action,  by  the 
terms  of  the  constitution,  goes  back  to  the  constituent  bodies 
in  the  form  of  a  recommendation  for  their  action  or  ratification, 
which  may  either  be  assumed  or  definitely  expressed. 

**  It  is,  however,  clearly  the  duty  and  the  function  of  the  Coun- 
cil to  determine  upon  objects  for  such  common  action  and  to 
find  appropriate  expression  of  the  consciousness  and  the  con- 
science of  the  churches  upon  them. 

"  Functions  of  the  Council. — While  the  duties  of  the  Council 
are  thus,  with  these  safeguards  and  limitations,  to  represent  the 
churches  upon  important  matters  of  common  concern,  and  in 
the  sentences  above  indicated,  to  exercise  a  genuine  leadership 
which  recognizes  the  whole  body  of  its  constituency,  the  Coun- 
cil may  not  consider  itself  primarily  as  an  independent  entity, 
but  rather  as  a  common  ground  upon  which  the  constituent 
bodies  through  their  official  delegates  come  together  for  co- 
operation. 

"Under  this  conception  the  Federal  Council  does  not  create 
new  agencies  to  do  the  work  of  the  churches,  nor  does  it  do 
the  work  of  the  denominations  or  the  churches  for  them.  Its 
policy  is  that  of  using  the  existing  agencies,  and  this  policy 
should  be  followed  out  with  relation  to  the  interdenominational 
movements  which  are  recognized  by  the  churches.  In  the 
main,  however,  these  existing  agencies  are  the  constituent  bod- 
ies themselves  and  their  official  boards  and  departments. 

"  It  is,  therefore,  the  function  of  the  Council,  not  so  much  to 
do  things,  as  to  get  the  denominational  bodies  and  the  interde- 
nominational movements  to  do  the  work  of  the  churches  in  co- 
operation. Here  its  function  is  not  that  of  overseer  and  director, 
but  that  of  an  agency  for  the  correlation  and  the  coordination 
of  existing  forces  and  organizations,  and  so  far  as  it  may  be  per- 
mitted, it  is  to  recommend,  give  guidance  and  point  out  the 
way. 


258  CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

**  Relation  to  Local  Federative  Agencies. — With  relation  to 
State  and  Local  Federations  the  Plan  of  Federation  distinctly, 
it  is  held  by  many,  intended  that  the  Federal  Council  should 
be  the  initiator,  creator,  inspirer,  and,  so  far  as  possible,  the 
directing  agency  of  such  federations. 

**  There  is,  however,  no  organic  relation  between  the  Federal 
Council  and  State  and  Local  Federations,  and  it  can  assume 
no  responsibility  for  the  constituency  of  such  federations  or  the 
form  which  they  may  take,  or  indeed  any  responsibility,  ex- 
cept so  far  as  they  may  carry  out  the  principles  and  the  policy 
of  the  Council. 

**  Commissions. — These  same  principles  of  policy  apply  to 
the  various  Commissions  appointed  by  the  Council.  They  act 
always  as  agents  of  the  Council  and  distinctly  represent  them- 
selves as  such.  They  also  hold  themselves  as  subject  to  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Council  in  accordance  with  the 
by-laws  of  the  Council. 

"  Like  the  Council  itself,  these  Commissions,  in  relation  to 
the  denominational  agencies,  regard  themselves  as  the  sum  of 
all  their  parts. 

**  The  Council  thus  seeks  to  find  the  will  of  the  constituent 
bodies  and  their  departments  and  to  interpret  and  express  it  in 
common  terms.  The  Council  then  aims  to  secure  the  doing 
of  the  will  and  conscience  of  the  constituent  bodies  by  common 
and  united  action. 

"The  cooperation  implied  in  the  fellowship  of  the  Federal 
Council  does  not  require  any  one  of  the  constituent  bodies  to 
participate  in  such  cooperative  movements  as  may  not  be  ap- 
proved by  it  or  for  which  its  methods  of  organization  and  work 
may  not  be  adapted. 

"  As  your  Committee  review  the  history  of  the  Council  and  the 
actions  of  the  Council,  its  Executive  Committee,  its  Commis- 
sions and  its  national  office,  we  find  that  to  a  remarkable  degree 
these  principles  have  been  closely  followed  in  a  way  that  has 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  269 

brought  about  effective  utterance  and  action  without  division 
or  disintegration,  and  we  heartily  commend  in  these  respects 
the  administration  of  the  Council,  its  Committees  and  its  Ex- 
ecutive Administration." 

This  statement  has  also  been  approved  by  the  thirty  present 
constituent  bodies. 

Thus  the  important  preliminary  work  leading  up  to  the 
organization  was  accomplished  by  the  Interchurch  Conference 
on  Federation  held  in  Carnegie  Hall,  New  York  City,  in  1905, 
a  body  composed  of  official  delegates  from  thirty  denominations 
convened  through  the  initiative  of  the  National  Federation  of 
Churches  and  Christian  Workers.  This  conference  adopted 
the  Constitution  of  the  Federal  Council  and  transmitted  it  to 
the  various  denominations  with  the  understanding  that  ap- 
proval by  two-thirds  of  them  would  give  it  full  effect.  This 
approval  was  secured  early  in  1908. 

The  Federal  Council  meets  quadrennially  and  consists  of 
about  four  hundred  qualified  delegates  officially  elected  by  the 
various  denominational  assemblies  or  other  constituted  au- 
thorities. 

Its  Executive  Committee  consists  of  about  ninety  of  these 
delegates  and  acts  for  the  Council  during  the  Quadrennium 
between  its  sessions,  holding  regular  meetings. 

The  Executive  Committee  has  an  Administrative  Committee, 
holding  regular  monthly  meetings,  which  acts  for  the  Executive 
Committee  between  its  sessions. 

The  national  office  and  its  executives,  under  the  Adminis* 
trative  Committee,  carry  on  the  continuous  work  of  the  Council. 

The  Council  appropriately  maintains  an  office  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  and  has  become  an  incorporated  body  under  the 
laws  of  the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  united  work  undertaken  by  the  Council  is  indicated  by 
the  titles  of  its  Commissions. 

These  Commissions  are  as  follows :  Federated  Movements, 


260     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

State  and  Local  Federations,  Foreign  Missions,  Home  Missions, 
Christian  Education,  Social  Service,  Evangelism,  Family  Life, 
Sunday  Observance,  Temperance,  Peace  and  Arbitration,  and 
Country  Life. 

Other  special  committees  and  commissions,  such  as  the  Joint 
Commission  on  Social  Studies  in  Theological  Seminaries,  the 
Committee  on  the  Interests  of  the  Colored  Race,  the  Com- 
mission on  Relations  with  Japan,  the  American  Peace  Cente- 
nary Committee,  and  the  Committee*  of  One  Hundred  for  Re- 
ligious Activities  at  the  Panama-Pacific  Exposition,  are  ap- 
pointed from  time  to  time  to  take  up  special  activities  calling 
for  united  action  upon  the  part  of  the  churches. 

The  Home  Missions  Council,  of  which  the  various  home 
mission  and  allied  boards  are  constituent  bodies,  is  a  cooperat- 
ing body  with  the  Federal  Council  and  acts  for  the  Federal 
Council  on  home  mission  interests. 

The  Commission  on  Federated  Movements  includes  unofficial 
representatives  of  the  interdenominational  movements  and 
organizations,  including  the  International  Sunday-School  Associ- 
ation, American  Sunday-School  Union,  Sunday-School  Council 
of  Evangelical  Denominations,  International  Committee  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  National  Board  of  the 
Young  Women's  Christian  Associations,  United  Society  of 
Christian  Endeavor,  Epworth  League,  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union,  Brotherhood  of  Saint  Andrew,  Brotherhood  of  Andrew 
and  Philip,  Denominational  Brotherhoods,  Adult  Bible  Class 
Movements,  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement,  Missionary  Edu- 
cation Movement,  Home  Missions  Council,  and  Council  of 
Women  for  Home  Missions. 

This  Commission  is  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  kindred 
Christian  organizations  into  cooperative  relationship  with  each 
other  and  with  the  Federal  Council,  and  also  to  assist  in  or- 
ganizing, inspiring,  and  advising  local  and  state  federations. 

The  Commission  on  State  and  Local  Federations  also  acts 
in  the  interest  of  these  bodies. 


THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL  261 

The  Commissions  are  largely  composed  of  officially  nominated 
persons  representing  the  boards  and  committees  instituted  by 
the  highest  ecclesiastical  judicatories  of  the  constituent  de- 
nominations. 

The  Functions  of  the  Council 

One  of  the  important  results  of  the  work  during  the  first 
Quadrennium  was  the  development  of  a  more  intimate  acquaint- 
ance and  a  better  understanding  between  the  great  bodies  in 
the  Council  through  working  together  and  through  the  larger 
view  which  each  has  gained  of  the  other's  work  by  means  of 
this  mutual  relation.  This  bond  of  fellowship  has  constantly 
and  rapidly  become  stronger.  One  of  the  chief  tasks  of  the 
Council  IS  that  of  educating  the  churches  in  the  interest  of 
united  action. 

Its  general  functions  require  careful  development,  owing  to 
the  wide  variety  in  ecclesiastical  polity  among  its  various  con- 
stituent bodies.  It  is  generally  conceded,  however,  that  it 
should  represent  and  declare  the  common  conscience  of  the 
Christian  churches  upon  important  questions  with  regard  to 
which  the  common  consciousness  of  Christianity  is  practically 
unanimous.  This  is  best  illustrated  by  its  declarations  on  the 
problems  of  the  social  order  and  concerning  the  moral  life  of 
the  nation.  For  example,  upon  such  questions  as  international 
peace  no  concerted  action  can  be  taken  except  by  such  a 
comprehensive  representative  body  as  the  Council. 

One  of  its  important  functions  is  the  constant  creation  on 
the  part  of  the  churches  of  a  state  of  mind  which  has  deepened 
their  sense  of  fellowship.  This  it  accomplishes  by  bringing 
together  upon  every  possible  occasion  its  widely  varying  ele- 
ments for  consultation  and  common  action.  This  is  illustrated 
by  such  a  movement  as  the  coordination  of  the  religious  forces 
of  the  nation  for  work  together  during  the  Panama- Pacific 
Exposition. 

The  national  office  of  the  Council  is  creating  a  large  body 


262     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL 

of  literature  calculated  to  increase  and  deepen  the  sense  of 
fellowship  and  develop  united  action  upon  the  part  of  the 
churches  and  to  set  forth  their  common  obligations. 

State  and  Local  Federations 

While  the  Federal  Council  is  constituted  solely  of  the  national 
denominations,  it  has  a  cooperative  relationship  with  state  and 
local  federations. 

The  weakness  or  effectiveness  of  local  federations  is  deter-, 
mined  for  the  most  part  by  local  situations  and  is  largely  de- 
pendent upon  the  community  sense  of  unity  and  fraternity. 

The  national  office  by  correspondence,  literature  and  secre- 
tarial visitation,  is  continuously  engaged  in  propagating  this 
work.  There  are  now  twenty-two  State  Federations  and  one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  City  and  County  Federations. 


Reference  has  been  made  to  the  fact  that  the  initiation  of 
the  movement  for  the  Federal  Unity  of  the  Churches  was 
largely  in  the  foreign  field.  At  the  present  moment  one  of 
the  most  important  movements  in  which  the  Federal  Council 
is  participating  is  the  movement  towards  larger  international 
relationships. 

At  the  time  of  the  writing  of  this  article  the  President  of  the 
Federal  Council,  Prof.  Shailer  Mathews,  and  the  representa- 
tive of  the  Council's  Commission  on  Relations  with  Japan,  Rev. 
Sidney  L.  Gulick,  are  in  Japan  on  a  mission  of  international 
good  will. 

At  the  International  Church  Peace  Conference  in  Constance, 
in  August,  1 91 4,  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America  was  the  only  body  represented  by  officially 
appointed  delegates.  The  other  representatives  of  the  churches 
of  the  various  nations  were  entirely  voluntary  and  unofficial  in 
their  nature. 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  263 

Here  again  the  more  voluntary  and  unofficial  movements  such 
as  the  World's  Student  Christian  Federation,  and  the  more 
recently  organized  World  Alliance  for  Promoting  International 
Friendship  through  the  churches,  to  the  organization  of  which 
the  Federal  Council  sent  nearly  fifty  official  delegates,  have 
opened  up  the  way. 

The  most  significant  of  all  these  movements  was  the  Edin- 
burgh Missionary  Conference  of  1910,  which  has  maintained 
its  permanent  influence  through  its  Continuation  Committee. 
The  Federal  Council  is  now  in  correspondence  with  the  various 
international  ecumenical  church  bodies  and  its  own  constituent 
bodies  relative  to  a  World  Congress  of  the  Evangelical 
Churches,  to  be  for  the  general  interests  of  the  churches  what 
the  Edinburgh  Missionary  Conference  was  for  missionary 
interests.  Indeed,  in  view  of  the  world  situation  at  this 
moment,  it  may  well  be  that  the  larger  function  of  the 
Federal  Council  will  be  that  of  giving  expression  to  the  world 
of  the  common  consciousness  of  the  churches  of  Christ  in 
America. 

This  chapter  has  not  touched  upon  the  large  range  of  the 
practical  activities  of  the  Federal  Council,  and  for  this  informa- 
tion the  reader  is  referred  to  the  various  volumes  of  reports, 
and  the  serial  publications  of  the  Council. 

A  thoughtful  and  discriminating  review  of  the  other  chapters 
of  this  volume  will  make  it  clear  that  the  organization  of  the 
Federal  Council  was  natural  and  normal.  These  chapters 
contain  a  sense  of  essential  unity  of  practical  aim  which  is 
certainly  greater  than  the  sense  of  their  diversity,  and  the 
imperative  demand  for  cooperation  upon  the  foreign  mission 
field  is  almost  excelled  by  the  increasing  demand  for  effective 
distribution  in  the  field  of  home  missions.  The  social  inter- 
pretation of  the  Gospel  and  the  call  of  the  world  for  a  new 
international  morality  are  so  incessant  and  so  impelling  that 
the  situation  and  its  outcome  are  obvious  to  all  who  have  the 
larger  vision  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 


264     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDEEAL  COUI^CIL 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MATERIAL 

"  Church  Federation,  Interchurch  Conference  on  Federa- 
tion," New  York,  November  15-21,  1905.  Edited  by 
Elias  B.  Sanford. 

Federal  Council  of  the  Churches.  Report  of  the  First 
Meeting  of  the  Federal  Council,  Philadelphia,  1908. 
Edited  by  E.  B.  Sanford. 

Federal  Council  Year  Book,  a  Directory  of  the  Federal  Coun- 
cil, its  constituent  bodies,  and  other  denominations,  inter- 
denominational societies,  etc.,  with  statistics.  Compiled  by 
Henry  K,  Carroll,  Associate  Secretary  of  the  Council. 

"Christian  Unity  at  Work."  The  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America  in  Quadrennial  Session  at 
Chicago,  Illinois,  19 12.  Edited  by  Charles  S.  Macfar- 
land.  General  Secretary. 

Report  of  Proceedings  of  the  Second  Quadrennial  Council  of 
the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  Amer- 
ica, Chicago,  December  4-9,  191 2. 

Annual  Reports  for:  1906,  1907,  1909,  19 10,  191 1,  191 2, 
1913,  1914,  1915. 

**  The  Country  Church — The  Decline  of  its  Influence  and 
the  Remedy,"  the  result  of  an  investigation,  by  Charles 
O.  Gill  and  GifFord  Pinchot,  of  the  Commission  on  the 
Church  and  Country  Life. 

Proceedings  of  the  Church  and  Country  Life  Conference  at 
Columbus,  Ohio,  Dec.  8-10,  191 5.  Edited  by  Charles 
O.  Gill. 

"  A  Year  Book  of  the  Church  and  Social  Service."  Compiled 
by  Harry  F.  Ward,  Associate  Secretary  of  the  Commis- 
sion on  the  Church  and  Social  Service 

Directory  of  State  and  Local  Federations. 

"  Evangelistic  Work  in  the  Churches  of  America,"  prepared 
by  the  Commission  on  Evangelism, 


THE  FEDEEAL  COUNCIL  265 

"The  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  and  International 
Peace."  Address  by  Charles  S.  Macfarland  at  the 
Church  Peace  Conference  at  Constance,  Germany,  Au- 
gust 2,  1914. 

Annual  Reports  of  the  Home  Missions  Council,  191 3  and 
1914,  1915. 

"The  Fight  for  Peace."  An  Aggressive  Campaign  for 
American  Churches,  by  Sidney  L.  Gulick. 

"The  Japanese  Problem  in  the  United  States."  A  report 
prepared  for  the  Commission  on  Relations  with  Japan, 
by  Prof.  H.  A.  Millis. 

"  Selected  Quotations  on  Peace  and  War."  Compiled  and 
published  by  the  Commission  on  Christian  Education. 

For  the  detail  of  the  work  herein  reported,  the  pamphlet 
Hterature  of  the  Federal  Council  should  also  be  con- 
sulted. 

The  above  named  books  and  pamphlets  relate  distinctly  to  the 
work  of  the  Federal  Council. 

Many  other  volumes  have  been  written  giving  partial  attention 
to  the  federative  movement  as  an  element  in  the  more 
general  movement  for  church  unity,  the  most  valuable  of 
which  is  probably  "  The  Union  of  Christian  Forces,"  by 
Rev.  Robert  A.  Ashworth,  a  member  of  the  Executive 
Committee  of  the  Federal  Council,  published  by  the 
American  Sunday-School  Union.  A  chapter  entitled, 
"  The  Federal  Unity  of  the  Churches  a  Social  Obliga- 
tion," also  appears  in  "  Christian  Service  and  the  Modern 
World,"  by  Charles  S.  Macfarland,  published  by  Revell. 

The  work  of  Foreign  Missions  in  its  federative  form  appears 
in  the  Annual  Reports  of  the  Foreign  Missions^  Confer- 
ence and  the  various  Federations  in  the  Foreign  Field 
are  described  in  the  Year  Books  published  in  the  various 
foreign  fields,  such  as  the  reports  issued  by  the  Continu- 
ation Committee  of  the  World  Missionary  Conference  at 
Edinburgh  ;  The  China  Mission  Year  Book  ;  the  Chris- 
tian Movement  in  Japan  ;  and  other  reports  of  interde- 
nominational and  international  missionary  movements. 


266     CHUECHES  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 

A  report  entitled,  **  The  Churches  and  International  Friend- 
ship," published  by  the  World  Alliance  for  the  Pro- 
motion of  International  Friendship  through  the  Churches, 
sets  forth  a  movement  in  which  the  Federal  Council  has 
taken  an  initiative  and  creative  part. 

These  books  may  be  obtained  of  the  Book  Department  of  the 
Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America, 
105  East  22nd  Street,  New  York. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  Americm 


PROBLEMS  OF  WAR  AND  PEACE,  Etc. 


FREDERICK    LYNCH,     P.P.  Stcrttary  church  P*aci  Unitn 

The  Last  War 

A  Study  of  Things  Present  and  Things  to  Come. 
l2mo,  cloth,  net  75c. 

"A  passionate  ana  intelligent  plea  for  world  peace.  It  is 
sane,  thoughtful,  well  balanced  and  convincing.  Shows  that 
the  Christian  churches  have  a  duty  to  perforin  at  this  crisis 
in  the  world's  history." — Watchman-Examiner. 

PETER  AINSLIE,  P.P. 

Christ  or  Napoleon— Which  ? 

A  Study  of  the  Cure  for  World's  Militarism  and 
the  Church's  Scandal  of  Division.    i2mo,  cloth,  net  50c. 

"A  searching  and  powerful  answer  to  tliis  question.  It 
shows  how  that  divided  Christianity  is  a  failure  and  how  even 
the  church  itself  is  penetrated  by  the  roots  of  this  military 
spirit.  Mr.  Ainslie  is  always  a  pleasing  and  interesting 
writer  and  he  has  fully  met  every  expectation  in  this  book. 
It  will  do  you  good  to  read  his  splendid  message." — L,ouisville 
Herald. 

SIPNEY  L.  GULICK,    P.P. 

The  Fight  for  Peace 

i2mo,  paper,  net  30c;    cloth,  net  500. 

"A  valuable  and  comprehensive  text-book  on  the  subject  of 
securing  world  peace  by  means  of  the  advocacy  of  Christian 
principles  by  the  churches.  Many  facts  are  given.  Correct 
principles  are  stated.  Earnest  appeals  are  made.  A  well- 
written  little  volume." — Herald  and  Presbyter. 

NEIVELL  P WIGHT  HILLIS,  P.P. 

Studies  of  the  Great  War 

What  Each  Nation  Has  at  Stake.    Cloth,  $1.20  net. 

"Dr.  Hillis*  volume  will  rank  at  once  with  the  best  of 
these  already  available  from  his  pen._  He  would  not  have 
Germany  crushed;  he  would  have  it  simply  restrained  to  its 
proper  field  of  development.  So  with  the  other  nations.  It 
would  be  hard  to  find  a  more  complete  summation  of  the 
facts  of  the  history,  progress  and  present  position^  of  all  the 
nations  involved  than  in  this  volume." — The  Continent. 

PROF.  FRANKLIN  HENRY  G  IP  PINGS 

The  Western  Hemisphere  in  the 
World  of  To-morrow 

i2mo,  boards,  net  35c. 

The  professor  of  Sociology  and  History  of  Civilization  in 
Columbia  University,  addresses  himself  to  the  problem  of  the 
future  as  it  specificallv  relates  to  America.  He  examines  her 
traditions,  heritage,  ideals  and  program,  and  proceeds  to  out- 
line her  possible  place  and  influence  in  the  reconstructed  world 
of  to-morrow. 


BIBLE  STUDY,  DEVOTIONAL,  Ftc. 

A.    T.    ROBERTSON,  P.P.,  LLP. 

Studies  in  the  New  Testament 

A  Handbook  for  Bible  Classes  in  Sunday  Schools, 
for  Teacher  Training  Work,  for  use  in  Secondary 
Schools  and  Colleges.     i2mo,  cloth,  net  50c. 

In  it  are  no  references  to  books  of  any  kind  outside  tha 
Bible.  With  the  help  of  the  maps  and  a  New  Testament  one 
can  study  this  work  with  no  other  books  in  hand. 

REF.    JOSEPH   T.   GIBSON,    P.P. 

'      t 

Jesus  Chri^  :    The  Unique  Revealer  of  God 

8vo,  cloth,  $1.50. 

The  author  has  sought  to  see,  and  aid  others  in  seeing 
Jesus  Christ  as  He  is  presented  in  the  Scriptures.  He  has 
compiled  a  "Life"  neither  critical  nor  iconoclastic,  but  de- 
signed for  those  who  regard  the  Word  of  God  as  being  not 
only  the  infalliable  guide  to  faith  and  duty,  but  the  authentic 
chronicle  of  the  earthly  life  of  our  L^ord.  Dr.  Gibson  has 
harmonized  the  Gospels  and  from  them  constructed  a  graphic 
narrative  which,  contrives,  to  re-Iimn  an  old  picture  with 
freshness  and  charm. 

REV.     GEO.    H.    YOUNG,  M.A.y  Asrt  Prof.  Rhetoric  and  Publit 

——^^^————^——^—————^^^^—    Speaking,  Colgate  University 

The  Illustrative  Teachings  of  Jesus 

The  Parables,  Similies  and  Metaphors  of  Christ. 
l2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.00. 

"A  most  readable  and  practical  treatment  of  the  methods 
of  the  Master  for  the  general  Bible  student  and  Christian 
worker.  A  valuable  contribution  to  one's  conception  of  Jesus 
as  the  'Teacher  come  from  God,'  and  revealing  in  life,  con- 
tent of  instruction  and  method  of  presentation  the  will  of 
the  Father." — Review  and  Expositor. 

W.  BEATTY  JENNINGS,   P.P. 

The  Social  Teachings  of  Chri^  Jesus 

A  Manual  for  Bible  Classes,  Christian  Associa- 
tions, Social  Study  Groups,  etc.    i6mo,  cloth,  net  50c. 

In  a  series  of  twenty  studies,  the  teachings  of  Jesus  are  ap- 
plied to  specific  social  sins  and  needs  of  to-day,  such  as  poverty, 
pleasure,  war,  the  drink  traffic,  etc.,  and  shown  to  be  the  sure 
and  only  solution  of  the  problems  of  society. 

ROBERT  FREEMAN 

The  Hour  of  Prayer 

Helps  to  Devotion  When  Absent  from  Church. 
l2mo,  cloth,  net  7Sc. 

"A  volume  of  reverent  purpose  designed  especially  for 
those  who  wish  some  form  of  Sunday  observance,  or  who,  by 
stress  of  circumstances,  are  prevented  from  attending  serv- 
ices in  the  churches.  To  shut-ins,  mothers  with  young  chil- 
dren, nurses  and  others  who  are  unable  to  attend  public  wor- 
ship, the  book  will  particularly  appeal." — Buffalo  Express. 


ESSAYS,  GIFT  BOOKS,  Etc. 


HUGH  BUCK,   M.  A.      Author  of ''Friendship'* 

The  Open  Door 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $i.oo. 

A  new  volume  from  the  pen  of  Hugh  Black  exhibiting  all 
the  chief  elements  of  his  previous  work — an  uplifUng  ethical 
purpose,  not  a  little  of  the  poetry  and  imagination  of  the 
Gaelic  temperament,  and  all  a  Scotsman's  inexorable  logic. 
Dr  Black  has  had  chosen  to  regard  life  as  an  open  door,  at 
which  he  stands  and  discusses  its  unfolding  problem*.  lU 
sorrows  and  its  joys. 

HUGH  BLACK,  M.A. 

Friendship 

Pocket  Edition.    i2mo,  cloth,  gilt  top,  net  $i.oo. 

Issued  in  response  to  the  popular  demand  for  a  pocket 
edition  of  this  gift  book  which  has  become  a  classic. 

"Mr  Black  is  a  man  of  great  spiritual  earnestness,  sim- 
plicity of  nature,  and  very  fine  intellectual  quality.  Ihis 
volume  which  is  tender  and  winning,  and  at  the  same  time 
Tfgor^uslnd  incisive,  shows  the  fine  grain  of  the  man's  na- 

'''7nUnl'o%^sX''''^orK-  "Comfort,-  "Happinc..- 
WILLIAM  JENNINGS  BRYAN 

Messages  for  the  Times 

i2mo,  boards,  each  net  35c. 
The  Message  from  Bethlehem 

A   plea    for    the   world-wide    adoption  of  the  Spirit  of  the 

Angels'   song — "Goodwill  to  Men." 

The  Royal  Art 

\  lucid  exposition  of  Mr.  Bryan's  views  concerning  wMat 
he'  deems  the  aims  and  ideals  of  righteous  government. 

The  Making  of  a  Man 

An  eloquent  yet  faithful  tracing  of  the  main  lines  to  be 
feil.wed  if  the  crown  of  manhood  is  to  be  attained,  and  the 
best  there  is  extracted   from  this  earthly  lite. 

The  Prince  of  Peace 

Mr  Bryan's  famous  and  picturesque  lecture  delivered  ere 
now  in  the  hearing  of  tens  of  thousands. 

FREDERICK    LYNCH  ^^ rhe  FeilfFrotLr  .u. 

What  Makes  a  Nation  Great? 

'^ISs^is^ce'^l? -.Ht  to  be  heard.  Dr.  I^ynch  pointj 
out  what  elements  enter  into  the  greatness  of  a  nation  and 
ffivea  some  indications  that  by  these  standards  the  United 
ItatJsTs  a  great  nation.  The  well  known  advocate  of  peace 
»n?  arbitration  proves  instead  that  the  greatness  of  a  nation 
fs  alwa^ys'spfdtu'kl.  If,  pastors  read  this  book  they  will  b. 
very  sure  to  preach  it."— The  Continent. 


CHURCH  WORK 


HARRY  F.  fFARD 

A  Year  Book  of  the  Church  and  Social 
Service  in  the  United  States 

Prepared  for  The  Commission  on  the  Church  and 
Social  Service,  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America.  i2mo,  paper,  net  30c.;  clothy 
net  soc. 

ERNEST  EUGENE   ELLIOTT    . 

The  Problem  of  Lay  Leadership 

A  Companion  to  "Making  Good  In  The  Local 
Church."    i2mo,  cloth,  net  50c. 

"What  Christian  ideal  should  guide  our  men's  work?" 
"What  methods  may  we  safely  use  in  realizing  it?"  "What 
must  we  do?"  "What  must  we  undo?"  These  are  some  of 
the  problems  pressing  insistently  on  the  minds  and  hearts  of 
m.inisters  and  religious  leaders  of  the  present  day.  This 
timely  book  of  Mr.  Elliott's  suggests  some  eminently  workable 
methods  of  awakening  the  interest  of  men,  some  lines  of 
study  by  which  it,  is  hoped,  they  may  advance  materially  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  together  with  some 
"pointers"  for  such  as  may  asfjire  to  leadership.  The  pro- 
grams suggested  arc  not  theoretical.  All  have  been  tritd,  in 
whole  or  in  part,  in  some  local  church  with  profit  and  success. 

HARLAN  L.  FEEMAN       Prof,  of  Practical  Theology  Wesh 
^— — — — — — — ^—  minster  Theological  Seminary 

The  Kingdom  and  the  Farm 

I     The  Problem  of  the  Country  Church.  Cloth,  net  7Sc. 

In  compact  form  this  timely  book  presents  the  problem  of 
the  country  church  and  its  attendant  difiBculty.  Dr._  Feeman 
was  born  on  a  farmj  knows  his  subject  well  and  writes  with 
precision  and  authority.  His  suggestions  have  vision,  breadth 
and  sanity  and  offer  a  real  scientific  study  of  this  vastly  im- 
portant subject. 

D.  C.  TREMAINE 

Church  Efficiency 

A  Study  of  Methods.  i6mo,  cloth,  net  500. 

A  plan  of  procedure  whereby  methods  «f  business  efficiency 
may  be  applied  to  the  work  of  the  churcd.  Mr.  Tremaine  i» 
a  layman  and  what  he  here  presents  is  the  result  of  spedbil 
end  careful  study.  Most  of  his  suggestions  have  already 
been  adopted  and  none  are  submitted  untried.  Tte  con- 
clusions are  calculated  to  help  lift  the  burdens  of  pastors, 
and  in  solving  some  of  tiie  problems  of  oburcb  life  and  ac- 
tivity. 


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